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50 Years of Marriage, Motorcycles, and Thousands of Miles on the Road

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Birmingham Times
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Jimmie and Deborah Johnson on their fully loaded Honda Gold Wing at home in Birmingham's Westchester community. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Je’Don Holloway-Talley | For the Birmingham Times

Jimmie and Deborah Johnson have been married for 50 years, and it’s been quite a ride. Literally. The Birmingham couple married in April 1975 and have visited nearly every state in the country by car, motorcycle, or train.

“We have crisscrossed the country in both directions four times on the motorcycle, probably about eight times in cars, and about five times on the train,” said Jimmie.

The Johnsons married April 19, 1975. (Provided)

In May, to commemorate their 50th wedding anniversary, the Johnsons embarked on a seven-day Alaskan cruise aboard the Norwegian Encore, marking their visit to the 49th U.S. state as a couple. (They’ve yet to visit Hawaii.)

The journey spanned 15 days and incorporated multiple forms of transportation: they drove to Memphis, Tennessee, boarded a train to Seattle, Washington, departed for Alaska by cruise ship, spent three days returning to Memphis by train, and concluded by driving back to Birmingham.

Their favorite mode of transportation, however, has been their beloved motorcycles, on which Deborah rides as passenger. She never drives — ever.

Jimmie, who grew up in Birmingham’s West End community, first learned to ride at age 14 on his friend’s motorcycle. In 1977, a few years into his and Deborah’s marriage, Jimmie purchased his first bike, a Suzuki 250, to combat rising gas prices.

“I told Deborah, ‘I’m gonna get a motorcycle to ride back and forth to work to save fuel,’” he recalled. “I started to really like it and had some friends who also had [motorcycles], so [I started riding] in my leisure and off time on weekends.”

“Nothing Compares”

Jimmie upgraded from the Suzuki 250 to a Suzuki 1100 to a Kawasaki 1200. Then, in 2007 the couple got their first “dream” motorcycle. (Provided)

Soon after, Jimmie upgraded from the Suzuki 250 to a Suzuki 1100 to a Kawasaki 1200. Then, in 2007 the couple got their first “dream” motorcycle.

“We bought a brand new 2008 Honda Gold Wing and took it on the road,” said Jimmie, who now rides a 2012 Gold Wing.

“When I got a larger motorcycle Deborah started riding with me and, lo and behold, she liked it, too,” said Jimmie, 71. “As the kids got older and more independent, we started taking long-distance trips together. And then, later on in life, we found other friends and other preachers to ride with.”

The Johnson’s attend Now Faith Empowerment Temple in north Birmingham, where Jimmie serves as the new pastor. They have two children, Jimmie Johnson Jr. and Dimetria Kelly, as well as 10 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Deborah, 70, said, “There’s just nothing like riding a motorcycle, nothing compares. I fell in love with it. I liked exploring God’s creation on motorcycles. … You get a closer view because you’re outside as opposed to being inside a car.”

Of their travels, Jimmie shared, “In 2009, we went to New York [by motorcycle] for the first time, and we also went through New York to Maine. We took that trip with one other friend, and I remember that one being 3,000 miles.”

“Then, in 2011, we rode to California and were gone for 12 days,” he continued. “Deborah and I left here on our 2012 Honda Gold Wing [and headed for] California. … We rode all the way to Phoenix, [Arizona], stayed a few days, then rode to San Diego, [California], and stayed a few days. Then went on a tour into Tijuana, Mexico. We rode 5,009 miles round trip for that one.”

“Top Of The Line”

The Johnsons have been to New York three times, and on their second trip there, in 2012, they visited Niagara Falls “with four other couples on their motorcycles,” Jimmie said. “That may have been about 3,200 miles round trip.”

“Back in August [2024], we rode 4,200 miles on our 2012 Honda Gold Wing, … and we were gone for 15 days. … We [traveled to] Rapid City, South Dakota, [where we] stayed for seven nights. We rode out every day from there, [visiting] Wyoming, Minnesota, and about 11 or 12 states [before heading] back to Birmingham,” Jimmie said, adding that he and Deborah took this trip alongside three other couples on motorcycles.

All of the Johnsons’ long-distance motorcycle rides have been taken on a fully loaded Honda Gold Wing, their bike of choice.

Jimmie said, “It has armrests and backrests for the passenger and rider. It’s got heated seats, heated grips, and heated leg warmers. It’s got an intercom, so we can talk back and forth. … It’s got navigation, cruise control, the whole nine. It’s a full-fledged luxury touring bike — top of the line.”

Although their luxury bike could keep them comfortable enough to ride through the night on long distance trips, the Johnsons never do night riding.

“Around 4:30 p.m., we are usually pulling into our next town and at a hotel,” Jimmie said. “We get up around 8:30 in the morning, have breakfast, and get back on the road.”

“7,325 Miles Round Trip”

The Johnsons retired from their respective careers within a few years of each other. In 2015, Jimmie retired from Pathology Associates of Alabama, where he was a medical courier, and in 2018, Deborah retired from the Birmingham Department of Veteran Affairs. To celebrate their retirement and fulfill Jimmie’s dream of leaving for a road trip with no return date in mind, in 2019 the couple set out on what turned into a 33-day adventure in their car.

“We loaded up the car and just headed in the direction we wanted to go. We went west and ended up staying in 18 different hotels. … We drove 7,325 miles round trip,” said Jimmie, who remembers pitching the trip to his wife.

“I told Deborah that it had always been my desire to leave home on vacation and not have to come back for a job or because of running out of money, and we were at a place in life where we could do that,” he said.

“I told her I wanted to go to Salt Lake City, Utah, and San Francisco, [California], to see Alcatraz, [the infamous federal penitentiary that held some of the most hardened criminals — including crime bosses Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, of Harlem, New York, and Alphonse Capone, of Chicago, Illinois—from 1934 to 1963]. … At the time, I had never been to Seattle, [Washington], so I also wanted to go through Seattle on up to Vancouver, [Canada].”

Deborah was always game for a good road trip, but this one would seem to require something from her that the others never did: sitting in the driver’s seat.

No worries — “Just leave all the driving to me,” Jimmie told her.

“We went all the way across the country, and it was one of the most enjoyable road trips I’ve ever taken,” Jimmie said.

“The Loneliest Road in America”

What Jimmie likes most about road trips is “it’s just the two of you, and you get to have good conversation,” he said.

“You’re enjoying life, you get to talk about life and love and listen to good music. And you’re stopping and eating and really seeing the country. We rode all up through the mountains, through the valleys, and through the deserts.”

One of Jimmie’s fondest memories from that trip was finally getting the chance to travel Highway 50, which is called “The Loneliest Road in America.”

“It runs through Utah and ends in Nevada,” he said of the thoroughfare. “We were somewhere off in Nevada, driving along [Highway 50], and there’s hardly anybody else out there because it’s going across the desert and through the mountains. … I stopped in the middle of the highway, got out, set up my tripod, and took a picture of myself. Then Deborah got out and got in the picture, too.”

Among the states seen on the Johnsons’ 33-day trip were Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Washington, South Dakota, and Indiana. They made stops in Canada, too, visiting Vancouver and British Columbia.

“For our last night on the way back home, we stopped in Huntsville, [Alabama], to see some family,” Jimmy said.

The Johnsons also travel the nation on the rails. By train, they have visited New Orleans, Louisiana, Los Angeles, California, New York City, New York, and Glacier National Park, Montana.

“There was a train ride that started in Chicago, [Illinois], went to Los Angeles [and] San Francisco, in California, through Colorado, and back to Chicago,” he said. “It was kinda like a loop around the country. … We were gone for seven days on that one.”

“The train takes you through mountains and scenery that you can’t see from any other mode of transportation,” he continued. “The train tracks go up through mountains where cars and motorcycles can’t travel [because] there are no roads. … You get to see the earth in all its glory, to see natural habitats. You run across rivers, lakes, and streams. You see all kinds of stuff in its natural element. You get to see the backside of the country.”

Deborah added, “[You see] not so pretty parts, too.”

Would the Johnsons ever fly?

“We backed off from flying,” said Jimmie. “I don’t like flying anymore. We love a good road trip.”

The Johnsons and daughter-in-law Lashonda and son Jimmie Jr., top photo; and daughter Dimetria and son-in-law, Edward, bottom photo, are seen at their 50th anniversary celebration dinner in April. (Provided Photos)

Love for the road — and for one another

Among the many keys to 50 years of marriage for the Johnsons are their love for not just each other but for being on the road as husband and wife. The Birmingham couple married in April 1975 and have visited nearly every state in the U.S. by car, motorcycle, or train.

“Deborah and I were young when we met,” said Jimmie. “Before we got married, we both were in the church so we didn’t really know each other, so these trips were adventures for both of us.

“We never had any experiences of that sort before we got married, so when we got married that’s when we started to learn about each other and grow together, grow our marriage, and grow in our life together. I think what really has kept us together is God, church, love — and our love for the road. I love being on the road with my honey. … We do three trips a year.

“You’re enjoying life, you get to talk about life and love and listen to good music. And you’re stopping and eating and really seeing the country. We rode all up through the mountains, through the valleys, and through the deserts,” Jimmie said.

Deborah said, “Being on the road with my honey is magical. We talk about everything from when we first got married to the present. We talk about how we’ve grown together. … We reminisce about the good times. We realize that most of our earthly time is behind us, but we continue to look forward to the [remaining] time God is allowing us to spend together.”

After trips to 49 states, the Johnsons would potentially like to visit Hawaii.

“Hawaii is the 50th and only state left,” Jimmie said. “It wasn’t really on our bucket list, but somebody brought it to my attention that we may as well go ahead and make it complete. … I don’t like flying, so we started looking into a cruise, but Deborah doesn’t like the idea of a 14-day cruise. So, I’m still looking into it.”

After visiting 49 states in 50 years as a couple, Jimmie said, “If I never make it there, I’m alright with that.”

One of Few Female Owned and Staffed Barber Shops Opens in Birmingham Area

By
Birmingham Times
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From left: Barbers De'Coreya Henderson, Isha Jones, owner, and Tiana Turnipseed cut ribbon during the grand opening. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

By Sym Posey |The Birmingham Times

What began as a hobby has become a career for Birmingham’s Isha Jones and not without some challenges.

“When I first started being a barber — being a female, — women had it a little harder in the industry than [men] for some reason,” said Jones, who has been cutting hair for more than 20 years.

The first shop where she worked there were already four or five other males cutting hair.

“I was the first female barber to come on the scene at that shop,” she recalled. “I know for at least two years; the guys were hesitant to sit in my chair because I was a female. It took a lot convincing one or two people to get in my chair, but I would give those one or two the best cut and the best experience to keep showing my work.”

Not only that, Jones said she wasn’t afraid of the challenge.

“Eventually more people would get in my chair. If one of the other barbers was taking too long, or if they were not there, then they would decide to sit in my chair and once they did, I just made that experience, one that they would always remember.”

It’s all paid off. Jones is now the owner of one of the few, if not only, female-staffed barber shops in the Birmingham area, Exclusive Choice Barber Shop, at 1301 Center point Parkway, Suite 107.

Owner and barber Isha Jones greets guests during the grand opening. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

Jones, 45, who has three barbers, said having a female staffed shop wasn’t intentional. “It came into place by itself,” she said.

Jones said she first started cutting hair as a hobby at the age of 15. “I would do it in my free time and on my off days. Eventually it became my passion, and I fell more in love with it until I made it my career.”

She now participates in a barber bootcamp where she looks for more female barbers. “I just wanted to cater more to the ladies in the program as they start their journey. I wanted to be able to take what I’ve learned throughout the years and what I’ve experienced to the youth. I just wanted to be able to feed the information to someone else that’s on the same journey.”

One of those whose gaining experience is 16-year-old De’Coreya Henderson, an 11th grade student at Pinson Valley High School.

“It feels good to be able to work in the shop because it allows me more time to build my clientele,” said Henderson, who has been enrolled in the bootcamp apprentice program since last year with the support of her mother, CaTonya Scott.

Normally apprentices are required to have 1,500 hours under a licensed barber before taking the state exam and become a licensed barber.

“With De’Coreya having taken all four of those courses [in the apprenticeship], those hours, actually counted towards her hours, leaving her with only having to compete 850 hours inside the shop,” said her mother. “She will be a licensed barber before she finishes high school.”

“It’s pretty much like family because she knows the people that are there. De’Coreya is the second person to come up under Isha as an apprentice,” said Scott.

Henderson said her decision to take on barbering stemmed from her love of drawing and watching YouTube videos about cutting hair,

De’Coreya Henderson provides a free haircut on opening day. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

“I know how to draw. I like drawing different cartoon characters. They say if you know how to draw, then you could be good at cutting hair,” she said. “I feel like the classes poured more into me. I already had an interest in cutting hair. This just added to my skills.”

When Henderson is not at the salon, she is at band camp as a member of the drumline, playing the cymbals.

While in school, Henderson is balancing band, barbering and her grief. In February, she lost her older sister, LaDeidra Scott.

“It keeps her leveled. She’s excelling while grieving,” said CaTonya Scott. “She has been doing a lot with band and barber bootcamp while maintaining the A-B honor roll.

Jones is proud of her student.

“She has such an urge to learn. She’s willing to learn whatever I wanted to teach her,” said the shop owner Jones. “Her eagerness in wanting to become a barber and work in the shop, that stood out to me. She is a hard worker, and she’s dedicated.”

Exclusive Choice: 1301 Center Point Pkwy Suit 107, Birmingham, AL 35215 Facebook: Exclusive Choice Barbershop,

‘Lullaby for the Grieving’: Ashley M. Jones’s Most Personal Poetry Collection to Date

By
Birmingham Times
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“Lullaby for the Grieving,” Ashley M. Jones’ fourth and most personal poetry collection to date will be released on September 16, 2025. (Provided)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | For The Birmingham Times

Four years ago, Ashley M. Jones was selected as Alabama’s first Black and youngest poet laureate. Four years ago, Jones lost her father, a man she called her hero, suddenly and unexpectedly.

“Lullaby for the Grieving,” Jones’ fourth and most personal poetry collection to date, is set to be released by Hub City Press on September 16, 2025. In her latest work, Jones explores the multifaceted nature of grief: the personal grief of losing her father, and the political grief tied to being a Black American in the South.

The collection weaves together poems Jones performed in her role as Poet Laureate with works penned as she struggled to write herself whole again after a devastating loss. Yet, no poem reads as a dirge of despair steeped in sorrow. Some poems read like a celebration of family and love. Others are boldly defiant against racism and systemic oppression. And they are all unapologetically Southern and unabashedly Black.

Jones’ father, Donald Lewis Jones, was a 26-year veteran of the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and chief of the Midfield Fire & Rescue Service from 2020 until his death.

The specificity of the poems about her father are what make Jones’ work universal. The grief feels raw and real because the love feels so deep and true.

“I haven’t been myself for three years/ I don’t know who’s walking in my skin,” she writes.

Critical Race Theory

“Lullaby for the Grieving” opens with the poem “What It Really Is,” which Jones describes as “an american acrostic.” An acrostic poem is a poem in which specific letters, usually the first letter of each line, spell out a word or phrase vertically. This one spells out “critical race theory.”

Jones writes: “Cameroon is a whisper in my blood – the ancestry kit tells me/ as it uses DNA to glue me back together. Can it catch/ long strands of lineage shucked and punched to pulp? Somewhere, a clot/rubs its rigid way into my veins. It calls itself america.”

Jones has been praised by the New York Times for her searing work on race. The poems of her new collection grieve the brutality Black people have endured from slavery to the years of Jim Crow to present day, yet hope stands in every stanza. 

A Portrait of Harriet

In a series of poems that pay homage to Harriet Tubman, Jones showcases her mastery of rhythm and sound. With its lack of punctuation, the piece titled “HOLYHEADHARRIET” mimics the rhythm of one racing to freedom. Read aloud the piece titled “Harriet, The Locomotive” and the lines sound like a train traveling down railroad tracks “into freedomfreedomfreedomfreedomfreedomfreedom.”

But these poems remind readers that when it comes to the story of the Underground Railroad “the train was made of flesh/the train was made of blood” and though Harriet Tubman is a hero, though she is holy, she is first and foremost human.

I Think of You, Alabama

Throughout her tenure as Alabama’s poet laureate, Jones has written and performed poetry for a number of organizations and events including  the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Alabama Humanities Alliance, The World Games, and the Alabama School of Fine Arts.

Many of these pieces show how it is possible to love the places you call home while still grieving all the ways that they fall short.

The poem “Freefriedfowl At The Coon Chicken Inn” will remind longtime fans of Jones’ work of the poem “All Y’all Really From Alabama,” which was featured in the Poem-a-Day series on Poets.org by the Academy of American Poets.

In “Freefriedfowl,” Jones writes: “brother Malcolm told us anything below Canada was dixie—/so here we are at your red open mouth/in salt lake city,/in seattle,/in portland–/ not as hot as alabama, but inferno all the same.”

And yet, in the poem titled “I Think of You, Alabama,” which was commissioned by The World Games, Jones declares: “When I think of love/I think of you, Alabama.”

Poetry Is for Everybody

Along with serving as Alabama’s poet laureate and the associate director of the University Honors Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Jones also is the founding director of Magic City Poetry Festival (MCPF). MCPF’s slogan is “Poetry is for everybody,” and Jones’ work leans into this mantra.

Even if you’re not a lover of literature, even if you can’t name the different poetic devices and forms that Jones masterfully employs in this collection, these poems are for you. You’ll find yourself highlighting lines that you’ll read again and again, not because you don’t understand them but because you do. Because you feel them or perhaps you have even lived them.

On Grief and Love

Through a series of “Grief Interludes” interspersed throughout the collection, Jones not only pays tribute to her father’s memory but also visually shows readers that no matter how busy she has been with the work of being poet laureate, grief has not loosened its grip.

But loss only hurts because first there was love. First there was a father who would “even reach for my adult hand crossing the street,” a father who cried when his daughter received the biggest recognition of her career (before, of course, being appointed poet laureate), a father who tenderly tended to collards in his garden, a father that Jones describes as the “spine of our family.”

Jones writes: “Although we’re unassembled by your death/you build us back. You whisper without breath.”

Near the conclusion of the book, Jones offers a series of several sonnets for her father, closing with “I’ll love you always, Donald Lewis Jones,/my dad, my hero, fire in my bones.”

“Lullaby for the Grieving” by Ashley M. Jones is set for release on September 16. The book is available for pre-order at hubcity.org and Amazon. On Sept. 14 at 2 p.m., Thank You Books will host Jones at the Birmingham Museum of Art for a special ART LIT event. Learn more at thankyoubookshop.com.

‘He Gave Me Safety and Security … and That Made Me Fall More and More in Love’

By
Birmingham Times
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Jimmie and Deborah Johnson have been on many adventures throughout their 50-year marriage. (Provided)

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

JIMMIE & DEBORAH JOHNSON

Live: Birmingham [in the Westchester Community]

Married: April 19, 1975

Met: June 1965, at their childhood church, Emmanuel Temple Holiness Church, then located on the southside of Birmingham. Jimmie was 11 years old when his family began attending, and 10-year-old Deborah’s family were already longstanding members.

“When I saw her, it was my impression that she was the one I wanted to marry; it was love at first sight. I kept my eyes on her and stayed focused, and the same love that I had for her then is the love I have for her now. I saw those green eyes, and long hair, and she was quiet and reserved and I liked that about her because all of the other girls were wild and crazy… Opposites attract, because I was wild and crazy too,” Jimmie laughed.

Deborah was not yet boy crazy. “I was a child,” Deborah said, “I wasn’t thinking about no husband, but I did think he was cute. He always dressed well and carried himself in a decent manner. He was never mannish towards m …. All of the other girls wanted him, but I was reserved, so I said, ‘y’all go right on head.’ But he chased me down over the years,” she laughed.

Jimmie and Deborah cultivated their young friendship, always riding side by side on the church bus to different outings. Jimmie recalls attending the fair together with the church in 1967, and said that was their first date because “I won you a bear and bought you cotton candy… I had a couple dollars because I was shining shoes downtown on the weekend,” Jimmie said. However, Deborah doesn’t consider that the first date. “Our first date wasn’t until you were able to pick me up and drive me somewhere,” she laughed.

First date: Summer 1971. Jimmie was now 18, and Deborah was 17. They went on their first dinner date to a new steakhouse in Birmingham called Bonanza. Jimmie picked her up from her home in Powderly in his blue GTO.

“I had been gone for about six months to New York where I worked with my brothers in the industrial industry,” he said. “I was back in church and ready to resume the life I had put on hold, and I knew that I [wanted to lay the groundwork to making her my wife] so I began talking to her about marriage on that first date,” Jimmie recalled.

“I felt like I was still kinda young, and I didn’t come from a home where there were a lot of married couples, so I was trying to figure out how we were going to make this happen. His whole plan kinda had me dumbfounded, but I was interested,” Deborah laughed. “I enjoyed Jimmie’s company and I liked his plan, I just didn’t know how we’d make it happen within the next few years.”

The turn: Between the years 1971 and 1973, Jimmie was back and forth from Birmingham to New York to work with his brothers. He would come back every six months, take Deborah on a few dates, and make sure that her heart still belonged to him. In the fall 1973, he returned for good, got a local job.

“After that date at Bonanza, I began giving her money to put in the bank to save for our future. And when I got back home [to Birmingham] I got a job and I got paid every Thursday… Thursday wasn’t a church night so that was our dedicated date night. I would come pick her up and take her out, give her money, and we’d talk about our future on the dates.

“I felt like he really did love me because of his actions,” Deborah said. “He always took me into consideration whenever we would talk about the future, and he would put me first. And growing up without a father figure and not seeing many married couples in my family, he gave me a safety and security that I had never had from any man and that made me fall more and more in love with him.”

The proposal: Dec. 7, 1974, at the church’s deacon dinner in Hoover, at the Ramada Hotel. “I asked her to step away with me and we went into the lobby. I had the ring in my pocket, and I said I know we’ve already talked a lot about this, but I want to make it official. I took the ring out of my pocket and opened the box and asked her if she would marry me and put the ring on her finger. She said ‘yes’, and then we walked back into the dinner.

“When we went back in, I started telling my friends, they were all excited for us, and I was excited too,” Deborah said. “It was excitement galore. We were about to start living out the plans that we had been making for years.”

The word spread that night, and before it was over, one of the church leaders announced their engagement and everyone celebrated with the couple.

The wedding: At Faith Apostolic Church in Birmingham, officiated by the late Elder Heron Johnson, and their colors were mint green, white, and black.

Most memorable for the bride was waking up to gloomy weather on her wedding day. “When we woke up that Saturday morning, it was raining, and there’s an old saying ‘the weather is indicative of what type of marriage you’re going to have’ and that had me slightly sad. But later on that day, about an hour before the wedding started, the sun came up and that made my heart so happy,” Deborah recalled.

Most memorable for the groom was a moment with his brother-in-law that they later found was caught on tape. “My brother-in-law, Robert Lee Pettus [his sister, Earnestine’s husband] was one of the few people at the time that I knew who had a camcorder, it didn’t even have audio, and he was taping the wedding… And during the kiss, he couldn’t get into a good position to [get it on tape], so during the reception, he came back around with the camera and told me he wanted to get a kiss on tape. I said, ‘let me ask Deborah,’ and she said ‘no’ And it’s funny to me because when we watched the tape back, you can see me asking [Deborah], and her shaking her head, and me turning right around to him and telling him she said ‘no,’” Jimmy laughed.

They honeymooned in the Poconos mountains in Pennsylvania. “Most people in our era were not taking honeymoons, but Deborah had found the resort in a magazine, and said she wanted to go there for a honeymoon, so we planned it. And the morning after the wedding, we took off to the mountains in the Poconos from Birmingham, and I remember the heart-shaped bed and bath tub,” Jimmy said. “And it was both of our first time flying, so we got to take our first flight together.”

Words of wisdom: “Keep your business to yourself. Whatever happens in your household, keep it between you and your spouse. And if you have to share with someone, make sure they’re really someone you can confide in. Keep God in the center, remember your vows, honor, love, and respect each other. Trust the process and stick with it, because [if you do] before you know it, you’ll be married 50 years,” said Deborah. “And, love conquers all.”

“Marry someone you are truly in love with because only love can cover a multitude of faults. When you truly love someone, you can’t imagine life without them, and you’ll find a way to work it out. I fell in love with Deborah at an early age, and that love is the backbone of our marriage. I love her and can’t imagine my life without her,” Jimmy said. “Some people marry for money, fame, lust, convenience… and none of those things can sustain a marriage. But when you marry for love, it endures.”

Happily ever after: The Johnson’s attend Now Faith Empowerment Temple in north Birmingham, where Jimmie serves as the new pastor, following his predecessor, Evangelist Alecia McCarter’s recent passing, and Deborah, as the First Lady. They have two adult children, Jimmie Johnson Jr., and Dimetria Kelly, ten grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.

Deborah, 70, is a southside Birmingham native, and Jones Valley High School grad. She attended Southern Business College in Birmingham, where she earned a secretarial certificate. Deborah retired from the Birmingham Department of Veteran Affairs in 2018, after 14 years. Deborah and Jimmie enjoy riding their motorcycles, and state side travel via the Amtrak train. She helps take care of her mother and enjoys playing with her grandchildren.

Jimmie, 71, is a native of the west Birmingham, and attended West End High School. His senior year he relocated to Nyack, New York, where he went into the industrial industry and went to school to become an overhead crane operator. He came back to Birmingham in 1973, and worked for Chicago Bridge and Iron until they closed. He eventually began working for Pathology Associates of Alabama, where he was a medical courier, and retired in 2015. He now enjoys his leisure traveling with his wife, riding their motorcycles, and is excited about pastoring.

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

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

By
Birmingham Times
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Birmingham Botanical Garden's annual plant sale has native species and perennials to herbs, tropical, trees, and hundreds more. Bring your wagon or cart. Free to the public. (Provided)

By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times

ENJOY THIS WEATHER!!!

TODAY, SEPTEMBER 4…

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

**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.

**FEARLESS – REMEMBERING BIRMINGHAM VOTING RIGHTS CHAMPIONS is celebrating 60 years of the 1965 Voting Rights Act TODAY. The Reception is 5 p.m. with an Artifact Display and 6 p.m. Panel of Experts/Community Conversation at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.  This event will reflect on the legacy of these champions and ongoing work to protect voting rights. Register at bcri.org/events. For more: ballardhouseproject.org or BCRI.org.

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

**LOW TICKET WARNING: DURAND BERNARR with LADY STOUT at Saturn.

**Q DOT & JAXXXON + FRIENDS at The Nick.

**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.

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

**JOSE CARR EVERY THURSDAY, 5-7 p.m. at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, at 1631 4th Avenue North.

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

**DURAND BERNARR with LADY STOUT and JUS10 at Saturn.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5…

IT IS FRIDAY…the weekend starts…

**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.

**“NIGHT OF THE ARTS” GALA starts the 2025-2026 Season with WILSON PHILLIPS headlining 5:30 p.m. at the UAB Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts. This celebration of the arts raises funds for UAB Center for the Arts, the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, ArtPlay Community Education and Arts in Medicine. Art Play Community Education and Arts in Medicine. The Gala will showcase the best of each organization’s programming and culminate with a private concert by the vocal group.  Also, the gala guests will vote one piece of art from several artists into the UAB’s permanent collection.  Artists include: JOE MINTER, CELESTIA MORGAN, BETHANY MOODY and MERRILEE CHALLISS.

**GRAVEHUFFER, FORMULUS and DROOD at The Nick.

**JAMES MCMURTRY with BETTYSOO at Saturn.

**COLORS WORLDWIDE presents: R&B ONLY LIVE at Iron City.

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

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6…

**BLACK FARMERS EXPO, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 17th Street and 3rd Avenue North (Downtown) with Black owned food and merchandise producers with live music, food trucks and family fun.

**ANIME RAVE at Saturn.

**THE RED MOUNTATIN with UNTIL SKIES FALL, FUZZRIPPER, THE CRIMSON MASK & DISTINCENTIVE at the Nick.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7…

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

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

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

**JAK MARVELLA at The Nick.

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

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

**PIERRE BENSUSAN at the Upstairs at Avondale Brewing Co.

**AN EVENING WITH GEORDIE GREEP at Saturn.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8…

**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.

**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at The Nick.

**PIXIES with Special Guests SPOON & FAZERDAZE at Avondale Brewing Co.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9…

**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.

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

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

**SAMIA – THE BLOODLESS TOUR at Saturn.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10…

**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.

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

**THE ALMAS with LAWLESS SAINTS at The Nick.

**SHADOWGRASS at Saturn.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11…

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

**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.

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

**THE BASEBALL PROJECT with THE MINUS 5 at Saturn.

**DYLAN GOSSETT – THE WESTWARD TOUR with KINGFISHER & JAMES TUCKER at Avondale Brewing Co.

**CUT THROAT FREAK SHOW ROUND 1 at The Nick.

 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12….

**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.

**PARROTFISH with LUNAR PARQUE & LAYLA TUCKER at The Nick.

**LATE IGT CUT THROAT FREAK SHOW ROUND 2 at The Nick.

**NICOLE PAIGE BROOKS present: SHE BETTA DON’T at Saturn.

**UNITED WE DANCE: THE ULTIMATE RAVE EXPEREINCE at Iron City.

**PUBLIC CIRCUIT performs at Firehouse is a New York synth band with a post-punk bite. Don’t miss their current release “No Faith.’

SHOW OF THE MONTH 

Tyler Perry’s “Beauty in Black”

Season 2 Premieres Sept. 11 on Netflix

Tyler Perry has long been a powerful force in American entertainment, renowned for his ability to blend humor, drama, and social commentary into narratives that resonate across generations. With “Beauty in Black,” his latest television series premiering on Netflix, Perry takes viewers on a compelling journey into the lives, triumphs, and challenges of Black women, painting their stories with sensitivity, strength, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity. “Beauty in Black” emerges from Perry’s vision to spotlight the richness and diversity of Black womanhood. The series, at its core, is a celebration — an intimate look at the many facets of Black women’s lives, from moments of vulnerability to acts of quiet courage.

BOOK OF THE MONTH 

Kenya Hunt’s “Girl”

“Girl” is not just a book; it is a chorus — a collection of voices, histories, and experiences that converge with startling clarity and resonance. Rather than a linear memoir, “Girl” is an assemblage of essays—each a standalone reflection, yet all interlinked by common threads of inquiry and empathy.

At its heart, “Girl” is a profound meditation on Black womanhood, identity, beauty, and resilience. Through essays both personal and universal, Hunt — an acclaimed journalist and editor-in-chief of ELLE UK — invites readers into an intimate, multi-layered exploration of what it means to move through the world as a Black woman today.

Kenya Hunt’s “Girl” is a luminous and necessary book—one that honors the complexity of Black womanhood while making space for joy, pain, reflection, and hope. Through its mosaic of voices and experiences, it invites readers to see, hear, and celebrate one another more fully. As Hunt herself sees, the act of telling one’s story is itself an act of liberation.

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

**ALABAMA WILDLIFE CENTER UNVEILS LICENSE PLATE – The state’s oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation and education organization recently unveiled a new way for Alabamians to help save native wildlife with the State’s First-ever Specialty license plate dedicated to wildlife rehabilitation. It was created by Alabama Wildlife artist RHIANNON HARRIS, features a great horned owl and represents the hundreds of injured and orphaned animals rescued every year by the Alabama Wildlife Center. This is a great way for Alabamians to show they care about preserving our state’s natural heritage.  For more, visit: alabamawildlifecenter.org/cartag.

FOR MOVIE LOVERS…

**BIRMINGHAM NATIVES STAR IN FILM “LOVE, BROOKLYN” – ANDRE’ HOLLAND and ROY WOOD, JR. are starring in a film to be shown at Sidewalk Film Center, this Friday (September 5). About the film: A writer (André Holland, Moonlight) who navigates complicated relationships with his ex, an art gallery owner (Nicole Beharie, The Morning Show), and his current lover, a newly-single mother (DeWanda Wise, She’s Gotta Have It), with the support of his best friend (Roy Wood Jr., The Daily Show). A modern romance set against the rapidly changing landscape of Brooklyn, New York. This is a Sundance premiere. (The film will be shown around the country starting in New York and opens Friday in Los Angeles, Birmingham and so many more theatres.)

 THINGS TO DO IN SEPTEMBER...FOR MUSIC LOVERS…

AT IRON CITY –

**NEXT SATURDAY – CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM.  A native of Clarksville, Mississippi, a city steeped in blues history, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram masters his guitar in Birmingham with tones of B.B. King, Albert King and Buddy Guy.  He blends in funk, soul, hip-hop, pop and jazz to create a modern blues fusion that cross generations and genres. His upcoming tour “THE HARD ROAD TOUR” will take off in October in Europe and the UK through November.

 AT TUXEDO BALLROOM…

**SEPTEMBER 20 – WE ARE ONE – An All White Celebration Honoring the Legacy of FRANKIE BEVERLY with YUNG VOKALZ AND THE MOVEMENT featuring JUBU SMITH plus DJ CHOCOLATE IN THE THROWBACK MIX, 7-11 p.m., at the Tuxedo Ballroom, on Avenue D in Downtown Ensley.  There will be live music, food, cash bar and a cigar lounge.

 AT ALYS STEPHENS CENTER…

**NEXT THURSDAY – ARTIST DRAKE WHITE, country-soul artist performs, 7 p.m. at ASC.

**SEPTEMBER 28 – SUTTON FOSTER, Tony award-winning Broadway powerhouse is a dazzling talent who captivates audience with her magnetic stage presence and energy, her talent as a television star and an accomplished recording artist. She is called a triple threat. She performs 7 p.m. at ASC.  (Get there early and see students from the UAB Department of Theatre and ArtPlay perform in the lobby before the show.)

 FOR OUTDOORS AND PLANTS LOVERS…Looking for something to do…

AT BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS – This week and throughout September/October…

**FALL PLANT SALE is Friday through Saturday. Look for adding to your plant collection or just enjoy a stroll through the greenery.  This annual plant sale has hundreds of plants for sale from native species and perennials to herbs, tropical, trees, and more.  Take you wagon or cart with you. Open Free to the public!

**PLANTING, TRANSPLANTING, AND RE-POTTING TREES AND SHRUBS is September 16, 1-2:30 p.m. in the Outdoor Classroom. Master Gardener DAVID DODGGETT shares the latest research-based recommendations and practices for how to plant, transplant or re-pot. Register.

**PRINTING WITH THE SUN is September 19, 10:30 a.m.-Noon in the Outdoor Classroom. SAM ROBERTS, artist, educator and curator will share information on how to work with cyanotypes, where iron-based chemicals turn light into striking blue prints and anthotypes which use plant pigments like turmeric that change color in the sun.  All materials are provided. Bring your small trinkets for home to print. Register.

**PITCHER PLANTS: EMPRESS OF THE BOG is September 23, 11 a.m. – Noon in the Outdoor Classroom. Expert DALE SCHAEFER will show the different pitcher species, where they grow, and how to care for them using plants from his collection. After the talk, take a guided tour of the pitcher plant bog in the Kaul Wildflower Garden. Register.

**FALL COMMUNITY HARVEST is September 27, 10-11 a.m. in the vegetable garden. Gather sweet potatoes, peppers, and more guided by Specialty Garden horticulturist KATELYN BAHR. FREE with Registration.

**SAVE THE DATE -OCTOBER 2-5 for ANTIQUES IN THE GARDENS. There are four days of finds from 25 top dealers, plus inspiring talks on interior design, architecture, garden design and floral artistry.

**FLICKS AMONG THE FLOWERS is October 25, 5:30 – 8 p.m. Get your blanket or low profile chair, go early for he costume contest and enjoy a cozy night outdoors at the Gardens.

**SATURDAY DAY KAYAK AND CANOE TRIP on the Elk River near Elkmont, Alabama– DETAILS: The six-mile section is easy with no obstructions and is a scenic stretch of river located in a very rural area. Novice canoeists are welcome and may come on this trip, but each one must be partnered with an experienced canoeist in their boat. For this trip you may rent one-person plastic kayaks and paddles for $30 or you may rent two-person canoes for $40 from Aree who will bring your rented boat to the put in and meet you there as well as at the take out, so you will never need to transport your rented boat at all.  Shuttle fee, paddles, and life jacket are included in the boat rental fee for those who rent boats from Aree Frederick. Dan will inform Aree. Children able to swim, age 10 and above are welcome. After the trip, dinner will be at an excellent Italian restaurant in Athens, Alabama, if you would like. Bring your things to clean up with and a change of clothes.  Note for Kayak and Canoe Trips-Life jackets or personal flotation devices are required and must be worn.  Bring your own boat, borrow one, paddle with a friend, or rent a boat from the outfitter listed above. Bring in the boat your picnic lunch, something to drink, and a towel. Put your belongings in a waterproof dry bag in the boat.  Wear old, thick-soled shoes you don’t mind getting wet (old sneakers work well).  Bring at least 6 feet of sturdy cord to tie up your boat if you don’t already have cord attached to your own boat. For more essential information: Reservations Required: YOU MUST call Dan Frederick BEFORE September 6 to reserve your boat, 205/631-4680 or email southeasternoutings@gmail.com if you plan to come on this kayak and canoe trip.

FOR OUR YOUTH…

**APPLICATIONS FOR MAGIC CITY YOUTH BUILD to Earn while you Learn. Must be 16-24 years old.  It is a 6-9 month program where you can earn you GED, get paid a biweekly stipend and get training in construction and healthcare careers.  For more contact youthbuild@habd.net or call 205-983-7550 to learn more.

**KIDS FEELINGS SURVEY – University of Alabama is sponsoring a research study and KIDS ARE NEEDED, ages 6-11. Families receive up to $600 for participating Involvement includes: 11 sessions at the clinic at UA, engaging activities for kids, kids earn prizes and cash payments for parents and kids.  The program is designed to help kids learn about other peoples’ feelings. Questions: Does your child show little concern for others’ feelings? School performance? or Rules and consequences?

Contact 205-737-4619 or fastclinicaltrial@ua.edu.

**SAFE HAVEN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS – This program has hours Monday -Thursday, 3:30 – 8 p.m. and Friday, 3:30 – 6 p.m. for Grades K-8. It will offer reading initiatives, chess club, homework assistance, creative writing, tutoring and more. This program is offered at the following parks: Central Park, Ensley, Fountain Heights, Hawkins, Inglenook, Memorial, M.L. King. For more info, contact 205-254-2391 or www.birminghamal.gov/parks-and-recreation/

**YOUTH VOLLEYBALL is September 15 – October 27 for 3rd – 8th Grade games on Mondays at 6 p.m. Game location is Fountain Heights, 1101-15th Avenue North. Contact 205-335-0483 and 205-451-9895.

FOR BUSINESS AND BUSINESS LOVERS…

**ALABAMA MINORITY VENDOR CONFERENCE is September 19-20 in Birmingham at the BJCC East.  Featured Speakers are DR. EGYPT SHERROD, HGTV host, real estate broker and entrepreneur at the Opening Luncheon and LARENTZ TATE, actor entrepreneur and producer at the Keynote Breakfast. For more on the two days of learning, networking and opportunities, go to: minorityvendorconference.com.

**ROOTED IMPACT CONSULTANT LAUNCHES – The Rooted Impact Consulting Firm, a new business in the downtown area, is launching in the Innovation Depot.  The LLC will help organizations tell their story, develop inclusive cultures and implement strategies that build their brand.

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

“This growth reflects the excellence of our faculty and the transformative opportunities our students have inside and outside of the classroom ….”

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Birmingham Times
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UAB PRESIDENT RAY L. WATTS AS THE INSTITUTION IS ON TRACK TO WELCOME ITS LARGEST FRESHMAN CLASS IN HISTORY THIS FALL; UAB NEWS, AUGUST 29.

Rep. Sewell Celebrates Decision to Make Alabama Home to Space Command Headquarters

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Birmingham Times
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Building 1 at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., shown in 2022, is the provisional headquarters of U.S. Space Command. (U.S. Space Command)

The Birmingham Times  

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) joined her colleagues in the Alabama delegation on Tuesday in celebrating the final decision to make Huntsville, Alabama the home of U.S. Space Command headquarters.

“Huntsville, Alabama is unequivocally the best place for Space Command,” said Sewell.

Rep. Terri Sewell

“The Rocket City and the entire State of Alabama are thrilled to continue playing a central role in advancing the United States’ dominance in the frontier of space.”

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that U.S. Space Command will be located in Alabama, reversing a Biden-era decision to keep it at its temporary headquarters in Colorado.

The long-expected decision from Trump caps a four-year tug of war between two states and opposing administrations about where to locate U.S. Space Command, an intense fight because the headquarters would be a significant boon to the local economy. Alabama and Colorado have long battled to claim Space Command, with elected officials from both states asserting their state is the better location.

“The U.S. Space Command headquarters will move to the beautiful locale of a place called Huntsville, Alabama, forever to be known from this point forward as Rocket City,” said Trump, repeating a nickname the city has used for decades already because of its early role in NASA and the U.S. space program. “We had a lot of competition for this and Alabama’s getting it,” added the president, flanked in the Oval Office by Republican members of Alabama’s congressional delegation.

Trump said Huntsville won the race for the Space Command headquarters, in part, because “they fought harder for it than anybody else.”

“I have been an outspoken proponent for bringing Space Command to its rightful home in Alabama, and I have repeatedly joined my colleagues in the Alabama delegation—under both Democratic and Republican administrations—to make clear that Huntsville is the best location based on the merits,” said Sewell.

In this photo released by the U.S. Air Force, Capt. Ryan Vickers stands for a photo to display his new service tapes after taking his oath of office to transfer from the U.S. Air Force to the U.S. Space Force at Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Sept. 1, 2020. (Staff Sgt. Kayla White/U.S. Air Force via AP, File)

Huntsville is known worldwide as the birthplace of the Saturn V rockets that put man on the moon, and it remains the hub for America’s space and missile defense program. The Marshall Space Flight Center pioneered human space exploration and continues to design state-of-the-art space systems and technology. Moreover, Redstone Arsenal is home to a number of mission critical military organizations, including the Missile Defense Agency, Space and Missile Defense Command, and Aviation and Missile Command.

In January 2021, following a comprehensive assessment of all eligible locations, the U.S. Air Force identified Huntsville as the ideal home for the permanent headquarters of Space Command. Subsequent reports by the Department of Defense Inspector General and Government Accountability Office confirmed that the Air Force’s process for selecting Huntsville was reasonable and complied with the law.

GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor of Alabama, said Huntsville is the “perfect place” for the headquarters and suggested it be named after Trump. And Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt, who stood next to Trump during the announcement, thanked Trump for “restoring Space Command to its rightful home.”

“The Biden administration chose to make this political,” she said. “What we want to do is put the safety and security of Americans first. We want to make sure our American war fighter is put first.”

Huntsville, Alabama, has long been home to the Army’s Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. The Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command is also located in Huntsville, which drew its nickname because of its role in building the first rockets for the U.S. space program.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said about 1,400 Space Command jobs will transition to Redstone Arsenal over the next five years.

“This decision is not about what’s best for Huntsville – it’s about being mission-focused,” said Battle. “The decision to locate U.S. Space Command at Redstone ensures our nation is prepared to meet growing challenges in space. Huntsville is ready with our experienced workforce, resilient infrastructure and deep commitment to national defense.”

The saga stretches back to 2021, when the Air Force identified Army Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville as the preferred location for the new U.S. Space Command. The city was picked after site visits to six states that compared factors such as infrastructure capacity, community support and costs to the Defense Department.

Associated Press contributed to this post.

Birmingham City Council Approves $170,000 for Exhibit at McWane Science Center

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Birmingham Times
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The Birmingham City Council approved $170,000 for a new exhibit and learning opportunities at McWane Science Center on Tuesday morning. (File)

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved $170,000 for a new exhibit and learning opportunities at McWane Science Center.

“What you see behind me is our ‘Making Moves Experience,’” said Annie Strong, the museum’s creative director. “It’s going to be part of the ‘Dropping Science’ exhibit, which is an exhibit focused around STEM and hip-hop and the science behind all of that.”

Strong said Birmingham City Schools students will get to experience the exhibit for free.

“We have a program called ‘McWane for All’ that allows Title I schools to experience McWane, experience our exhibits and learn about STEM for free,” Strong said. “So Birmingham City Schools are included in that.”

Darrell O’Quinn

Birmingham City Council President Darrell O’Quinn said it’s money well spent.

“it’s important for us to support them,” O’Quinn said. “They’re doing innovative types of projects there. The city of Birmingham is doing its part in terms of supporting the organizations that provide additional learning opportunities to our city school students.”

Ingrid Smiley has a 7-year-old granddaughter who is enrolled in Birmingham City Schools. Smiley said she’s excited about the investment from the city and thinks it will help students get excited about learning.

“That’d be great for a lot of kids,” Smiley said. “That’s a lot of kids may not be able to afford to even go, so that would be great.”

Theres no exact timeframe on when the new “Dropping Science” exhibit will open at McWane Science Center, but it should be before the end of the year.

‘He Chose to Ask Me to Marry Him While I’m Dripping Wet, Standing in a Towel’

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

LATONYA & D’ANDRE WRIGHT

Live: Hoover

Married: Feb. 6, 2010

Met: April 2000, on campus at the University of Alabama in Smithwood Circle where the Kappa house and Delta house shared a parking lot. Latonya is a Delta, and D’Andre a Kappa, and they were introduced by a mutual friend.

“I knew who he was — everybody knew he was,” Latonya said. “I knew who he was since freshman year.”

“I was sitting in the car with my best friend doing what college students do,’ D’Andre laughed, “and I saw Tonya walking by with our mutual friend and knew I had to meet her. When I got inside the party, I walked up to my friend [who was Tonya’s best friend] and told her to ‘put me on’.”

After the party, the two exchanged numbers, and hung out the next day. They would hang out socially and casually dated over the next two years but did not become serious. However, they did form a great friendship that contained some romantic moments, one of which D’Andre pointed out and had Latonya share: “One night after hanging out, he walked me to my car and we shared our first kiss, and right after that I looked up and saw a shooting star,” Latonya said.

They graduated in 2002 and both left Tuscaloosa. Latonya returned to Birmingham and D’Andre had moved back home to Montgomery to attend Auburn University at Montgomery to pursue his MBA. During the holiday season of 2002, D’Andre called Tonya to let her know he’d be in Birmingham to get his car serviced– “He called me because he needed a favor,” Latonya laughed, “he needed me to pick him up from the dealership and took me to dinner to kill time.”

First date: December 2002, at Applebee’s in Brookwood Village [no longer existing], after picking D’Andre up from the dealership. They said it was like picking up where they left off.

“I just remember wanting to remain great friends with him, we always had a great connection whenever we were together,” Latonya said.

“Whenever we hung out we always had great conversation and good times, and she was just as beautiful as I remembered,” D’Andre said.

The turn: Latonya and D’Andre gradually started seeing each other more and after receiving his MBA, D’Andre took a job in Atlanta with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and the two continued seeing each other and spending occasional weekends together. However, in 2006, Latonya delivered an ultimatum “She told me that we would never be in a serious relationship as long as I lived out of state,” D’Andre said. “So, I moved to Birmingham in 2007, and we began seriously dating.” “And it’s been worth it ever since,” Latonya added.

Latonya and D’Andre Wright met at the University of Alabama, and were introduced by a mutual friend. The couple married in 2010. (Provided Photos)

The proposal: April 2009, at their new home in McCalla.

“We had just purchased a house and we also [got our first fur baby], an English Bulldog named Ralphie. And one morning I was getting out of the shower getting ready for work, and when I walked into the bedroom he was down on one knee with the ring in one hand, a Starbucks coffee in the other, and Ralphie kneeled down beside him,” Latonya recalled.

“First of all, it wasn’t just a ring box, it was a Tiffany’s blue ring box,” D’Andre corrected. “I can’t remember a long speech, I know I said something about how long we’d been together and how much I loved her and asked her if she would marry me.”

“And the first thing out of my mouth was, ‘Are you serious?’ and he said, ‘Dead ass’,” Latonya laughed. “I knew the proposal was coming because we were setting up our lives together, we had purchased a house, and he had just spent the weekend in Atlanta with his mom, so I knew he was going to pick up the ring we had picked out, I just didn’t know when he was going to do it. And he did it at a time I’d least expected, that’s why I asked him if he was serious, because he chose to ask me to marry him while I’m dripping wet, standing in a towel,” she laughed.

The wedding: At Ross Bridge Resort & Spa in Hoover, officiated by Reverend John Henry Williams III, of Greater Saint John Baptist Church in Birmingham. Their colors were brown and green. “I look back and don’t know what we were thinking choosing those colors,” Latonya laughed.

Most memorable for the bride was their first look and a visit from one of their groomsmen. “I really wanted D’Andre to be happy with my appearance, and I achieved that. He kept smiling and telling me how beautiful I was, and I was happy,” Latonya said. “And the funniest moment was when one of the groomsmen came to my hotel suite to get the wedding rings from me. He told me that he had been arguing with D’Andre and the best man about socks and that they had spent the morning running around trying to find socks for them to wear with their tuxes … He said he told them ‘he ain’t got time for this [expletive], and came to my suite to get the job done,’” Latonya laughed.

Most memorable for the groom was a few moments: “It was snowing outside while we were taking the wedding pictures, and for it to be snowing in Alabama, and on our wedding day was huge. And I also remember the reception feeling like a huge party, we had a great band. Everybody had a good time, everybody was dancing and drinking, it was like a huge family event. And after the wedding ceremony, the wedding planner [orchestrated] a moment for Tonya and I to have a little time to ourselves before we joined everyone else, and we’re sitting in this private room, taking in the moment, and Latonya’s cousin and her husband busted in the room with a plate of nachos, plopped down beside us totally interrupting our moment and said this is the best wedding I’ve ever been to, and they would not leave,” De’Andre laughed. “And that was the vibe of the wedding– family, a lot of fun, and everybody having a great time.”

They honeymooned in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. “It was lots of eating, lots of drinking and the making of a honeymoon baby,” Latonya said. “We came back with what’s now a 14-year-old,” D’Andre added.

Words of wisdom: “Make sure you are marrying your best friend because even when you’re mad you’ll still want well for them. And marry someone you can laugh with; laughter is always important. You have to be with someone you can have a good time with,” Latonya said.

“Effective communication. Make each other a priority and [establish] that leaving is not an option. You have to know that regardless of what happens: arguments, ups and downs, y’all are going to be there and get through it together, and that’s the refreshing part for me. Knowing that I have someone to get through the good and bad times with,” said D’Andre.

Happily ever after: The Wright’s attend Mountain Top Community Church in Vestavia Hills, where Latonya serves in the hospitality ministry. They have two children: a son, Brayden, 14, and a daughter, Riley, 12.

Latonya, 45, is a Denver, Colorado native and moved to Forestdale in 1993. She is a Minor High School grad, and attended the University of Alabama, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice; Troy University where she obtained a master’s degree in public administration, and Penn State University where she received a master’s in information security systems. Latonya is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and works as a subcontracts manager for Northrop Grumman based out of Baltimore Maryland.

D’Andre, 45, is a Montgomery native, and Robert E. Lee High School grad. He attended the University of Alabama where he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Auburn University at Montgomery, where he obtained an MBA and is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.  D’Andre works as the vice president of external affairs and communications at Warrior Met Coal in Brookwood, Alabama.

The Wright’s are members of the Birmingham Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc.

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

Birmingham Personal Injury Attorney | Guster Law Firm, LLC

After Being Locked Out of Office, Alabama Town’s First Black Mayor Wins Election

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Birmingham Times
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Patrick Braxton was the only candidate to qualify for mayor of Newbern, Alabama, in 2020, but he was locked out of the town hall. In 2024, a court settlement handed him back the keys to the town. (Kyle Whitmire/AL.com, File)

The Associated Press

NEWBERN, Alabama — The first Black mayor of a tiny Alabama town overwhelmingly won election this week, four years after white residents locked him out of the town hall and refused to let him serve.

Incumbent Mayor Patrick Braxton was elected as the mayor of Newbern, winning 66 votes to his opponent’s 26, according to results posted by the town. His victory puts a punctuation mark in the dispute over control of the town government that drew national attention.

“The people came out and spoke and voted. Now, there ain’t no doubt what they want for this town,” Braxton said in a telephone interview Wednesday night.

The election Tuesday was the town’s first since at least the 1960s, held under a federal settlement. Black residents had sued, challenging what they called the town’s “hand-me-down governance” and refusal to let Braxton serve after he ran unopposed for mayor in 2020.

Newbern’s residents number just 133 people. A library, the town hall, a mercantile and a flashing caution light anchor the downtown, about 40 miles west of Selma.

What the town had been without is elections.

Newbern’s mayor-council government had not been put to a vote for six decades. Instead, town officials held “hand-me-down” positions, with each mayor appointing a successor who appointed the council members, according to the lawsuit filed by Braxton and others. The result was an overwhelmingly white government in a town where Black residents outnumber white residents 2-1.

Braxton, a volunteer firefighter, qualified in 2020 to run for the nonpartisan position of mayor, and since he was the only candidate, he became the mayor-elect without an election. He then appointed a new town council, as other mayors have done.

But the locks were changed at the town hall, and Braxton was denied access to the town’s financial accounts. His lawsuit also alleged that outgoing council members held a secret meeting to set up a special election and “fraudulently reappointed themselves as the town council.”

“I didn’t get a chance to serve but one year out of the five years,” said Braxton, who finally occupied the office last year after a three-year legal battle.

Town officials had denied wrongdoing, arguing in court filings that Braxton’s claim to be mayor was “invalid.”

The settlement agreement included a promise to hold a mayoral election in 2025.

Braxton had one challenger this time — a white auctioneer and Realtor, Laird Cole.

“Mayor Braxton’s election represents a turning point for Newbern, restoring democratic governance, ensuring fair representation, and reaffirming that every resident has a voice in their local government,” Madison Hollon, program manager of political campaigns for the SPLC Action Fund, said Thursday. The group endorsed Braxton in the race.

The mayor said his lopsided victory should eliminate any “doubts people had hanging in their heads on if people want me.”

“It feels good the second time,” Braxton said.

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