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Exhibit With More Than 100 Masterworks Opens This Week at Birmingham Museum of Art  

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Birmingham Times
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Camille Pissarro (1830–1903), Le Village d'Éragny (The Village of Éragny), 1885. Collection of the Birmingham Museum of Art)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | For the Birmingham Times

The Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) will present an exhibition of over 100 masterworks when Monet to Matisse: French Moderns, 1850–1950, opens on Friday, Jan. 30.

The exhibition features work from iconic artists such as Paul Cézanne, Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and many others.

Monet to Matisse may be a traveling exhibit curated by the Brooklyn Museum, but the BMA exhibition will be one-of-a-kind as it also includes over 40 works from the museum’s collection to offer a broader exploration of this transformative period in art history.

“We are the only venue of the tour that has been allowed not just to add, but really significantly alter and grow the show, which is really exciting, and we’re really thankful to them for letting us this creativity to do that,” said Maggie Crosland, the Fariss Gambrill Lynn and Henry Sharpe Lynn Curator of European Art at the BMA.

The exhibition, Jan. 30-May 24, comes to the BMA as the museum celebrates its 75th anniversary.

“As we commemorate this milestone year, we are pleased to present one of the most significant exhibitions of French modern art to come to Birmingham,” said Graham C. Boettcher, R. Hugh Daniel Director of the Birmingham Museum of Art. “Monet to Matisse offers a rare opportunity to experience the revolutionary spirit of these artists up close. From the dreamlike brushstrokes of Monet to the bold colors of Matisse, this exhibition reflects the radical creativity that forever changed the course of art history.”

Revolutionary Art

The exhibition is organized into four thematic sections—Landscape, Still Life, Portraits and Models, and The Nude— to provide an in-depth look at the evolution of modern art. But BMA wants to highlight the revolution of modern art too.

“We think of Claude Monet as very classic, but he’s panned by the critics at the time, Crosland explained. “He is doing something extremely different.”

And the world around him was becoming different.

“You don’t necessarily know you’re living in revolutionary times until you’re in the midst of it,” Crosland said. “Monet lived through the Franco-Prussian War and World War One. His son in law is exiled and his family is separated. These are artists who are actively responding to the things that are happening in their lives, and that’s what artists are doing now. That’s what we’re doing now.”

Crosland added, “so many of the big changes that you see through the exhibition is a direct impact of war and peace and technology and transportation that is developing at a rapid pace. And that’s what we’re living through.”

Expanding the Narrative

As Crosland and the BMA team considered which pieces to add to the exhibition, they aimed to expand the narrative and make the conversation around modern art more inclusive that not only showcase the contributions of French artists but also highlight the influence of Japanese visionaries who shaped the modernist movement.

The additions also highlight American artists who carried the legacy of modernism forward – including two Black artists – Henry Ossawa Tanner and Charles Ethan Porter — and two Alabama artists – Clara Weaver Parrish and Carrie Hill.

The exhibition also explores the contributions women artists such as Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot and Marie Bracquemond. Women were not only sometimes marginalized in the art world but also felt the push and pull of two careers. “One is an artist and one is a wife and mother, and if that is not one of the most contemporary statements, I don’t know what is,” Crosland said. “There’s a lot of connections.”

Community

The BMA will host a range of programs in conjunction with Monet to Matisse, including lectures, guided tours, and interactive workshops. The museum will partner with Alabama Ballet, Botanical Gardens and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) for future community events.

Crosland sees Monet to Matisse as an opportunity to celebrate not only French art but the Birmingham Museum of Art and the city of Birmingham.

“It is a museum that cannot exist without the community,” she said. “And yes, this is a show that’s coming from Brooklyn, but we can’t do what we’ve done with the show without the additions from our collection, and we cannot have that collection without the generosity of the people of Birmingham.”

“Monet to Matisse: French Moderns, 1850–1950″ will be on view Jan. 30-May 24 at the Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. Admission to the museum is free, but tickets are required to see the exhibit, priced at $10-$19.51. For more visit the museum’s website here

How to Help Birmingham’s Popular Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co. Get Poppin’ Again

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Birmingham Times
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Tanesha and Clem Sims-Summers are the proprietors of Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co. (File)

NBNKettlecorn.com 

Clem and Tanesha Sims-Summers have been a staple in Birmingham’s small business community for nearly 12 years as proprietors of Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co.

Located in a brick and mortar building in historic Woodlawn, they are famous for their delicious artisan kettle corn, commitment to philanthropy, and “Ms. Poppy”, the unmistakable beautiful blue and yellow food truck known to bring smiles to faces young and old.

Recently, while on the way to an event, “Ms. Poppy” stopped shifting into gear. The business owners later learned the issue was with the rear differential, a critical component connected to the axle and tires. Without it functioning properly, the truck is unsafe to drive.

“Ms. Poppy” has now been inoperable since October 2025, more than 12 weeks, costing the Summers family nearly $20,000 in revenue and counting. They are asking for contributions to help recoup lost revenue and get “Ms. Poppy” on the road and back into the community.

“The part for “Ms. Poppy” alone is approximately $4,000, with labor estimated up to $2,500 once work begins. Unfortunately, repairs cannot start until the part is secured and paid for,” said Tanesha Sims-Summer, Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co. Chief Executive and Experience Officer. “During this downtime, we have had to cancel pre-scheduled events, something we never do lightly. Dependability is part of who we are. While the cost might not seem much to many, it’s a great deal to us given the amount of revenue our family has lost.”

Purchased in 2019 just prior to the pandemic for $50,000 and fully paid off as a commitment to stewardship and responsibility, “Ms. Poppy” has been a tough kernel. The food truck has survived two vandalisms and a fire. The Summers family purchased the vehicle from the Golden Flake fleet, taking pride in carrying on the tradition of a once longstanding Birmingham-based business through their Birmingham-based business.

“Ms. Poppy” has now been inoperable since October 2025, more than 12 weeks, costing the Summers family nearly $20,000 in revenue and counting. (Provided)

The Summers family has become a shining star in the regional food scene serving corporate clients, celebrities, organizations and families with an assortment of small batch, artisan kettle to hand corn flavors. They’re considered Birmingham and beyond’s favorite snack, proudly sharing the brand throughout Birmingham, across Alabama, and around the country.

“Since we’ve began, we’ve navigated inflation, supply chain challenges, tariffs, fluctuating event attendance, and the unpredictability of large-scale events,” said Sims-Summers. “Our’s isn’t a sob story. It’s simply the ‘sweet and salty’ reality of sustaining a small business over time. The ripple effect of not having ‘Ms. Poppy’ servicing the community touches inventory, licensing renewals, inspections, and our ability to stabilize and grow.”

As a for-profit business with what they often call a nonprofit heart, they acknowledge that asking for help has been one of the hardest things they’ve ever done.

“We are accustomed to being positioned to give to support schools, churches, nonprofits, and families. Leaning into our community in this way required humility. We’re grateful for community,” said Sims-Summers. “We often say, ‘It’s not just popcorn,’ which is literally tattooed across ‘Ms. Poppy.’ We mean that both figuratively and literally. It’s not just about the kettle corn for us. It’s about connection, impact, and creating sweet moments even in life’s salty seasons.

Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co. has a GoFundMe account established to get “Ms. Poppy” operational again. They are looking forward to rebuilding and continuing to fulfill their commitments to the community they love so much. “We want to keep popping in Birmingham,” said Sims-Summers.

To reach Clem and Tanesha Sims-Summers or learn more about Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co, email WHATSPOPPIN@NBNKettlecorn.com or call 205-915-2528.

For email inquiries, please use the subject line “Get Miss Poppy Rolling.”

Birmingham-Partnered Warming Station will Open Sunday and Monday Nights

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Birmingham Times
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The City of Birmingham and Jimmie Hale Mission will open its nightly warming station. (Adobe Stock)

birminghamal.gov

As temperatures are expected to fall below freezing, the City of Birmingham and Jimmie Hale Mission will open its nightly warming station Sunday, Jan. 25, and Monday Jan. 26, from 6 p.m. until temperatures rise above freezing each morning.

Men, women, and children needing warm shelter can come to the Mission, located at 3420 2nd Ave. North. Food will be provided. Shelter for women and children only will be provided at Pathways, located at 409 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd.

Due to the potential icy road conditions, the shuttle service to Jimmie Hale Mission will not be available. The complimentary Birmingham Rapid Transit bus line (also called Birmingham Xpress) will continue to run every thirty minutes with a stop in front of the Mission as long as service is able to safely continue.

The following day shelters will also be open for those seeking warm refuge:

  • Faith Chapel Care Center, 921-2nd Ave. North
  • Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • Church of the Reconciler, 112-14th St. North
  • Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., and Sundays, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Donations of hand warmers are needed. 

Meal donations are being sought. Those wanting to support can sign up at the following links:

The City of Birmingham supports the warming station at the Jimmie Hale Mission with $75,000 and in-kind donations of cots and a police officer presence. The City also supports the Pathways warming station with funding from a $20,000 Emergency Solutions Grant.  

Alabama Prison Documentary ‘The Alabama Solution’ Earns Oscar Nomination

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Birmingham Times
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‘The Alabama Solution,’ documentary chronicling the horrific conditions inside the state’s prison system, premieres at Sundance and has now been nominated for an Academy Award. (HBO)
By Lisa Crane | WVTM

 A documentary that puts Alabama prisons in the spotlight is now in the running for one of the most well-known, prestigious awards in Hollywood — an Oscar. Nominees for the 98th Academy Awards were announced Thursday. “The Alabama Solution” is one of five films nominated in the documentary feature film category.

It’s a sobering look at life behind bars in Alabama prisons. Most of the video in the documentary, “The Alabama Solution,” is shot by inmates themselves, on contraband cellphones. It’s graphic and, at times, difficult to watch. Former corrections officer Stacy George is a part of the documentary. He called it an accurate depiction of what an Alabama prison inmate faces.

“These things are real. I mean, there’s a lot of abuse, and there’s a lot of neglect. I saw boxes that said ‘not for human consumption’ on the boxes; they feed them,” George said.

Some say part of the problem is the secrecy. Not many people from the outside ever get to see inside Alabama prisons. Even journalists aren’t allowed to get close. We’re kept about a mile away from St. Clair Correctional Facility. That’s as close as we’re allowed to be.

George claims the culture is the real problem. He said, sadly, many of the corrections officers are simply bullies.

“If they come down here to Birmingham and they want to be a police officer, the first thing they probably do will take a mental evaluation test. Well, if that officer wants to be an officer, if he fails that test, guess where the next place he goes to get a job. It’s with the Alabama Department of Corrections,” George said.

Gov. Kay Ivey’s press secretary released a statement saying, “We already knew the Oscars had a low bar, but as far as corrections goes, there has never been an Alabama governor more dedicated to solving the longstanding challenges facing the system than Governor Ivey. From recruiting a record number of corrections officers to doing sentencing reforms to constructing needed, new facilities, Governor Ivey is getting the job done and making it safer for inmates, officers and the public alike.”

Now that the documentary is a favorite to win an Academy Award, George hopes even more people will watch it and be inspired to push for change. The Oscars ceremony is set for 6 p.m. March 15.

How UAB Continues Transformation of Birmingham with New and Renovated Facilities

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Birmingham Times
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Exterior of McCallum Basic Health Sciences Building, February 2022.

By Tehreem Khan | www.uab.edu

The University of Alabama at Birmingham continues building new facilities and renovating existing spaces to enhance opportunities for success across UAB’s mission pillars of education, research and innovation, economic development, community service and patient care.

The development of UAB’s physical campus is an implementation of the Forging Ahead strategic plan, Campus Master Plan, the SUCCESS Initiative and Research Strategic Initiative: Growth with Purpose, a vigorous institution-wide effort to expand UAB’s research portfolio and multiply the positive impact it has on people’s lives.

“The official opening of our Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building [in October] marked our seventh new or renovated facility opened in a span of only five months, a remarkable pace that speaks to the success of our Campus Master Plan and much more, said UAB President Ray L. Watts. “With every state-of-the-art building we open, we are dramatically advancing every pillar of our mission and the growing impact we have on lives throughout our state, our nation and the world.”

This transformation plays a pivotal role in enhancing patient care, recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff, offering world-class spaces to heal, live, study and work.

Here’s a look at some of the new facilities.

Frances and Miller Gorrie Hall

UAB inaugurated the School of Engineering’s new home — Frances and Miller Gorrie Hall — at a ribbon-cutting held in June. It is Phase 2 of the Science and Engineering Complex, powered by sophisticated technology and design, featuring “showpiece” spaces throughout the approximately 110,000-square-foot facility. Gorrie Hall reinforces the School of Engineering’s mission to attract faculty and train the next generation of modern engineers. Brasfield & Gorrie broke ground on the new facility that is strategically positioned on 13th Street South beside Mervyn H. Sterne Library in 2023. The construction of Gorrie Hall was supported by the Gorrie family.

Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building and the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation Conference Center

In Oct., UAB cut the ribbon on the 175,000-square-foot building, bringing together researchers, equipment and staff for the Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute, the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, and translational scientists from many different disciplines. The project involves a renovation of the former Lyons-Harrison Research Building. The facility includes space for computational research, research support, offices, administrative and scientific collaboration, and meeting spaces designed to meet the specific needs of genomics and precision medicine investigators and their programs.

UAB broke ground on the project located at Seventh Avenue South between 19th and 20th streets at the former site of the Kracke Building and Pittman Center for Advanced Medical Studies in April 2022. The project is funded by a combination of philanthropic gifts from UAB Donors Altec/Styslinger Foundation and Marnix and Mary Heersink, $50 million from the state of Alabama via the Public School and College Authority, $5 million from Jefferson County, $1 million from the city of Birmingham Funds and other institutional funds.

Biomedical Research and Psychology Building

Construction continues on the new eight-story, 228,735-square-foot building located between Volker Hall and the Hill Student Center on University Boulevard. It will house the research-intensive departments from the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Psychology and will contain both wet and dry research laboratories and research support spaces to provide the flexibility necessary for investigators from various fields and disciplines.

The $190 million project is supported by $152 million in federal funding, as well as funds from the Heersink School of Medicine and College of Arts and Sciences. UAB broke ground on the facility in June 2024 and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.

Student Assembly Building

A new home base for UAB’s registered student organizations operated by Student Affairs opened on Sept. 20, 2024. It is located at the northwest corner of 14th Street South and 11th Avenue and encompasses 12,790 gross square feet of assembly areas, storage space, office and administrative space and a catering kitchen. It features one large assembly room, which can accommodate up to 280 students at a time and can be subdivided into three smaller assembly rooms. The building houses four individual assembly rooms, a hoteling office and an administrative space to be used by student organization leaders.

Exterior of Cooper Green Mercy Health Services Authority showing building signage, November 2024.

Cooper Green Mercy Health, a UAB Health System Affiliate

The Cooper Green Mercy Health Services Authority, a UAB Health System affiliate, hosted a ribbon cutting for the new Outpatient Clinic just west of the original 1970s Cooper Green facility in November 2024 to house expanding clinical operations better suited to efficient delivery of modern ambulatory health care. The new five-story, 211,000-square-foot building, with a cost of $120 million, is located on the site of the former Cooper Green parking deck. The facility features urgent care, pharmacy, imaging, employee services, administrative offices, a conference center, laboratory facilities and outpatient physical therapy space. It offers main clinical services including primary care, specialty care, ophthalmology, behavioral health, an oncology clinic and expanded dental care. The Cooper Green Mercy Health Services Authority provides high-quality health care to all residents of Jefferson County, regardless of ability to pay.

14th Street Parking Deck

UAB opened its first new parking deck in over 20 years in June 2024 to commuters and Cooper Green employees and patients. The $36 million, 405,000-square-foot parking deck at 14th Street South and Seventh Avenue adds more than 1,150 new parking spaces to campus. The deck has a limited amount of parking reserved for Cooper Green Mercy Health Services patients and employees. The remaining spaces on Level 2 and above are pay-by-the-hour parking for faculty, staff, students and visitors. UAB’s strategic plan is guided by the recognition that UAB’s most valuable resource is its people, and that priorities need to be placed on the student, faculty and staff experience and their well-being. Enhancing parking and transportation will remain a focus of the Facilities Strategic Plan; this project and UAB’s purchase of the Daniel Building in 2023 have added more than 2,300 new parking spaces in the UAB Parking and Transportation inventory.

Southern Research Biotechnology Building

Southern Research, a UAB affiliate, opened its flagship biotech center in August, anchoring the development of 150,000 square feet of space with four floors and a basement including new wet lab space for life sciences. The building not only houses Southern Research’s Scientific Platforms Division, which operates programs in chemistry, structural biology, high-throughput screening, infectious diseases and neurosciences, but also provides space for future program growth. The new facility has doubled the organization’s lab space for researching infectious diseases and has greatly expanded its work to develop new treatments for cancer and other serious illnesses. Construction began in 2022. The facility is worth $98 million, with $45 million coming from the state education fund.

University Emergency Department Expansion

In response to an unprecedented demand for emergency medical services and to mitigate capacity challenges, UAB Hospital is expanding the University Emergency Department. Temporary expansion renovations began in June 2023, that allowed nine new exam spaces. Two ED Modular Units that contain eight exam spaces are operational, improving wait times and allowing new operational models to be implemented. The $73 million expansion of UED that includes renovations to the first floor of UAB Hospital’s North Pavilion, turning the adjacent atrium into clinical care space and the construction of a new three-story space in the drop-off drive of North Pavilion began in July. With 66,030 new square feet of new construction, the project will provide 59 new exam rooms and additional imaging capacity for emergency clinical care. This project directly supports patient satisfaction and employee satisfaction priorities. Funding comes from a $50 million grant from the Alabama state legislature, and the remainder from UAB Medicine funding.

Rehabilitation Pavilion

To deliver leading-edge, compassionate care and build on nationally recognized excellence in rehabilitation, UAB opened the Rehabilitation Pavilion in Aug. Located on Seventh Avenue South, the new facility is directly adjacent to the existing Spain Rehabilitation Center. The new building boasts three floors dedicated to interdisciplinary rehabilitation specialty programs. Each of these floors provides 26 state-of-the-art inpatient beds with technology designed to provide comprehensive rehabilitation for patients across Alabama. The new building focuses on neurorehabilitation for patients following stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury and other conditions. In addition, there will be two floors of acute care beds. A 30-bed general acute care unit is located on the fifth floor, and on the seventh floor is a 28-bed inpatient floor dedicated to a seizure monitoring unit that offers clinical, research and education services to patients with epilepsy. The total number of inpatient beds for this new building is 134.

Volker Hall Renovation

Volker Hall renovations to modernize its offerings for medical students and faculty began in summer 2024 made possible by a gift from the Heersink Family Foundation. The atrium will provide a fresh, modern look and feel, adding a brand-new entrance facing University Boulevard. The atrium includes all-new furniture and light fixtures, new student relaxation and study areas, and a coffee bar. Lecture halls and a new conference room will be updated with new lighting, seating, screens and advanced technology improvements. Additionally, a 16th Street sky bridge will connect Volker Hall to the new Biomedical Research and Psychology Building. Ribbon cutting of the atrium is scheduled for November 3, 2025; the bridge and lecture halls will open in 2026.

McCallum Basic Health Sciences Renovation

UAB completed this building’s renovation in April 2025 that had been underway since 2018. The newly revitalized space includes updated wet labs for researchers from Departments of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, Medicine, Otolaryngology, Urology and many more. The modernized building boasts a spacious and inviting new lobby, featuring a living green wall. The renovation also addressed building pressurization, installed new windows, updated lab exhaust controls and deployed various other energy-saving initiatives.

Blount Hall Renovation

UAB is renovating the Winton Blount, Jr. residence hall at 1001 14th St. South for its 510 student residences. The roof, exterior doors and windows, carpeting and kitchen cabinets will be replaced, among other needs for the 193,000 square foot building, such as upgrading the fire alarm system. The project budget is $22.7 million.

Sterne Library Renovation

UAB is renovating the Mervyn H. Sterne library on 13th Street South. Modifications include roof replacement, upgrading the freight elevator and the fire alarm system. Additional interior and exterior upgrades are proposed, including a new façade on the north side of the building to complement the new and adjacent Science & Engineering Complex. The budget is $17 million.

Bartow Arena Renovation

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the Stage III project for the Bartow Arena upgrades at UAB. The $14.6 million donor-funded renovation will include an entrance lobby expansion, a club-level lounge with seating for an enhanced viewing experience, replacement of lower bowl retractable seating, and concourse improvements such as updated lighting and restrooms.

Photos by: Jennifer Alsabrook-Turner, Ian Logue, Andrea Mabry, Ben Heine.

Five Birmingham Restaurants/Chefs Named Semifinalists for James Beard Award

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Birmingham Times
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Five Birmingham restaurants/chefs have been named as semifinalists for a James Beard Award. (File)

birminghamal.gov

Five Birmingham restaurants/chefs have been named as semifinalists for a James Beard Award, the Oscars for the food industry.

From here, restaurant and chef nominees will be announced on Tuesday, March 31, and the winners will be recognized on Monday, June 15 in Chicago during the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony.

The Birmingham semifinalists are:

  • Outstanding Chef: Rob McDaniel, Bayonet
  • Best Chef (South): Kristen Hall, La Fête
  • Best Chef (South): Geri-Martha O’Hara and Ryan O’Hara, Pizza Grace
  • Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: Eric Bennett, Continental Drift
  • Outstanding Hospitality: Bottega

This is not the first time Birmingham’s food scene has garnered national attention. Several restaurants and chefs have received James Beard awards and nominations.

Past Birmingham winners have included:

  • Best Chef: South (2022): Automatic Seafood and Oysters Chef Adam Evans
  • Outstanding Restaurant (2018): Highlands Bar & Grill
  • Outstanding Pastry Chef (2018): Dolester Miles of Highlands Bar & Grill
  • Best Chef: South (2012): Hot and Hot Fish Club, Chef Chris Hastings
  • Best Chef: Southeast (2001): Highlands Bar & Grill Chef Frank Stitt

This news comes two months after 11 Birmingham restaurants were named in the Michelin Guide American South. Bayonet, La Fete, Pizza Grace and Bottega were mentioned in the November 2025 list.

See the list of all 11 Birmingham restaurants.

Through the years, Birmingham restaurants have gained attention from national publications. The latest recognition came in December 2025, when Afar magazine named Birmingham as one of the best places to travel in 2026. In its article, Afar focused on Birmingham’s food, saying that “James Beard award nominations grow like the kudzu vine” here.

See The Full Story From Afar Magazine.

Behind the Glass: Exploring the Evolution of the New-Look UAB

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Birmingham Times
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The new Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building presents a striking contrast from its former life as Lyons-Harrison Faculty Office Tower. (UAB)

By Matt Windsor | www.uab.edu

Red brick was once the defining feature of campus. But as a new generation of buildings comes online—seven new or renovated facilities opened within a span of five months from June to October 2025—one thing is clear: UAB is in its glass era.

There are multiple reasons for this shift, including the availability of more energy-efficient materials, the relative costliness of maintaining brick facades versus metal-and-glass facades, changing theories in urban planning, and a chronic shortage of masons. The main reason, however, is quite simple: People like it.

“There is a big push in the urban planning discipline for constructing buildings where occupants can see outside,” said Susan Thompson, executive director for Capital Construction at UAB Facilities, part of the unit’s Planning, Design and Construction group. “There is the health and wellbeing of the occupants. But also, when you get more daylight coming in, you don’t need artificial light as much, or what we call ‘daylight harvesting.’ And it just looks more modern.”

Research on the benefits of being able to see outside, for both students and patients, is extensive, notes Brian Templeton, director of Planning, Design and Construction. “It improves learning outcomes and improves patient convalescence,” Templeton said.

People outside the building also benefit from windows, because visibility brings security, Templeton said. “The windows in the building give you a feeling of being watched in a good way,” he said. “It gives you the impression that someone can see you there. So it’s very different walking by a bunch of glass than walking by a brick wall.”

The new Collat School of Business opened in 2018 with a glass-centric style. (UAB)

Although University Boulevard, as it passes through UAB, is one of the region’s busiest thoroughfares, a traveler moving through campus from the 1960s to the 2000s would have only been able to guess at what was going on behind the brick walls. Many of the buildings, from the original Hill Center and Volker Hall on the north side of University Boulevard to the Education Building and Rust Computer Center on the south, seemed to actively hide their entrances from public view. Small, scattered windows did not let in much natural light.

To be fair, the window technology available in the 1970s would have turned vast glass structures into sweltering greenhouses in the Alabama summer sun, notes Denton Lunceford, assistant vice president for UAB Facilities Planning, Design and Construction. “Our new buildings utilize insulated glazing units with argon gas between the panes to reduce heat and noise transfer, and low-E [low-emissivity] coatings that reflect infrared heat,” he said. “They are very efficient. Sun studies performed early in the design influence design elements that help mitigate the effects of direct sunlight as well. Many of our newer buildings include metal fins that are oriented strategically to limit solar thermal gain during the hottest times of summer days.”

Glass: Origins

The beginning of the glass era could be traced to the new Hill Student Center, which opened in January 2016 on the same site as the previous student center. It had debuted in 1983 as the University Center and was renamed the Hill University Center in 1991 to honor UAB’s second president, S. Richardson Hill Jr., M.D. Although the 21st- century Hill Center carried on UAB’s traditional red-brick motif, it featured a large glass section facing the then-still-new Campus Green. “That’s the building that really turned the corner,” Lunceford said. “Clients and architects both said, ‘Here is a new way to go.’”

Then again, Lunceford notes, the influences were already there. Just across the street from the Hill Center is Heritage Hall, which opened in 2008. The first new academic building at UAB in more than 20 years pioneered the light-colored metal panels that have since become a major feature of most of the latest buildings opened on campus, including University Hall (2019), IT’s Technology Innovation Center (2021), the East Science Hall of the Science and Engineering Complex (2023), the McCallum Building renovation (2025), the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building (2025), and the Rehabilitation Pavilion (2025).

Shades Of Glass

Some of the first buildings to make glass a centerpiece, and prioritize visibility to the thousands of daily travelers on University Boulevard, are the Collat School of Business building and the School of Nursing building, which both opened in fall 2018.

The new atrium entrance to the School of Health Professions’ Webb Building, opened as part of a major renovation in June 2025, deliberately used glass with very low reflectivity in order to give passing pedestrians and motorists the best view of the work going on inside.

“A lot of our research participants have chronic health conditions, so we spent a lot of time considering their experience sitting on the inside and looking outside,” said Andrew Butler, Ph.D., dean of the School of Health Professions. “Studies have proven that natural light and nature itself lower depression and raise happiness; we want everyone who visits our buildings to be uplifted by the beauty that surrounds them inside and outside and the two-story floor-to-ceiling glass facade has been impactful on both sides.”

The Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building takes glass art to a new level at UAB, with a DNA motif etched in the panes, along with dots designed to mitigate bird strikes.

The Rehabilitation Pavilion, which opened in August 2025, is packed with state-of-the-art equipment—and sweeping views of Red Mountain and UAB’s tree-lined campus. (UAB)

Why Seeing Green Matters

The Rehabilitation Pavilion, which opened in August 2025, is packed with state-of-the-art equipment—and sweeping views of Red Mountain and UAB’s tree-lined campus. A 2016 study in Germany found that patients randomly assigned to recover in a surgical ward with foliage plants and flowers had shorter hospital stays and took fewer pain meds than patients in a ward with no plants or flowers. This is one of a host of such studies dating back to a pioneering Science paper by Roger Ulrich in 1984.

“The new rehabilitation pavilion provides a cutting-edge care environment designed not only for the best care, but also as a best-in-class place to work in rehabilitation medicine,” noted Jordan DeMoss, executive vice president of UAB Medicine.

Patients and employees like natural light and inspiring views. But does a classroom with a view promote daydreaming? A landmark 2010 study of more than 100 Michigan high schools found that greater quantities of trees and shrubs outside classrooms correlated with improved test scores and graduation rates after accounting for student socio-economic status and racial/ethnic makeup, building age, and size of school enrollment. Interestingly, lawns or athletic fields alone, without tree and shrub cover, were not correlated with improved test scores and graduation rates.

UAB engineering faculty have more reason to point their students’ attention outside: The building itself is a lesson. “We worked with the engineering faculty to demonstrate stormwater management in the building,” said Susan Thompson. “We made all the stormwater management infrastructure visible so that lecturers can talk about it to their students and then show them those practices in action.”

Creating A Campus Showpiece

You can trace the new-look UAB streetscapes to a single source. The Wallace Tumor Institute, the home of the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, reopened after a major renovation (inside and out) in 2013. The 2020 UAB Master Plan noted a host of features that had been taken into account in transforming the original building, with few discernible entrances, into one of the showpieces of campus.

These elements include:

  • A front door: “From the street, the front door should be obvious,” the Master Plan states. “The ground floor and/or upper floors facing the street or campus open space should be active and should contribute to a sense of place.”
  • Pedestrian-level signage
  • Visible ADA access
  • Pedestrian-scaled lighting
  • High windows
  • Street trees
  • A clear sidewalk zone

Above the street, research labs were placed behind large windows to allow patients at UAB Hospital, across Sixth Avenue, to see the future of cancer care at work.

The renovated School of Nursing opened in 2018 with a glass-centric style. UAB continues to build new facilities and renovate existing spaces. (UAB)

Streetscapes

In the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, when much of the UAB campus was originally built, cars were urban planners’ main preoccupation—in Birmingham and nationwide. Pedestrians were often shunted away above street level to raised crosswalks and plazas for their own safety.

That paradigm was reversed on UAB’s campus with the Wallace Tumor Institute renovation in 2013. Today, most new buildings on campus follow its focus on street-level interaction.

The McCallum Basic Health Science Building’s renovation, which wrapped up in April 2025, added a front door for the building and completely replaced the brick exterior with a state-of-the-art curtain wall system, opening views into its laboratories from the street level.

A few blocks away, the Volker Hall Atrium Project replaces the former second-floor main entrance to the building, home to the Heersink School of Medicine, with a street-level entrance.

“Every one of these projects is unique, with its own requirements and stakeholders with specific program needs,” Lunceford said. “You do see these common elements over the past several years, and it is all part of delivering the best building we can to each of our stakeholders.”

What JPMorganChase’s $350,000 Commitment to Alabama Possible Means for Workforce Training

By
Birmingham Times
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The new Chase location is located at 2629 Cahaba Road. (Mary Helene Hall, Bham Now)

jpmorganchase.com

JPMorganChase on Wednesday announced new philanthropic funding to grow workforce training programs in Alabama’s advanced manufacturing and energy sectors – an initiative designed to help more Alabamians gain the skills needed for in-demand jobs.

JPMorganChase’s $350,000 commitment to Alabama Possible, a nonprofit focused on expanding economic and educational opportunity for underserved communities, will strengthen Alabama’s workforce at a time of rapid business growth and rising demand for skilled talent.

“A prosperous job market is the foundation of a strong economy,” said Victoria Adams Phipps, Vice President, Global Philanthropy. “Through this initiative with Alabama Possible, we’re helping to close the skills gap and ensure more Alabamians have the opportunity to obtain high-quality jobs and build stronger economic futures for themselves and their families.”

The announcement comes as Chase celebrates the opening of its 14th branch in the state, in Mountain Brook.

The funding to Alabama Possible will support:

  • Opening Doors to Advanced Manufacturing Careers: Alabama Possible will expand its collaboration with the Alabama Community College System, including Historically Black Community Colleges (HBCCs) and Predominantly Black Community Colleges (PBCCs), on eight career advancement programs. These programs help individuals pursuing post-secondary education develop the skills for in-demand jobs in aviation, steel and aerospace.
  • Providing Hands-On Training for High-Demand Trades: Alabama Possible will team up with community colleges to develop two accelerated training programs for HVAC technicians and utility line workers. The new 11-week programs, developed in collaboration with Alabama Power, seek to prepare workers for in-demand jobs in the energy sector.

“Alabama’s workforce future depends on expanding pathways that ensure more people step into high-wage, high-demand careers. This investment from JPMorganChase allows us to do exactly that,” said Chandra Scott, the executive director of Alabama Possible. “By strengthening skilled-trades training and elevating STEM opportunities for adult learners – especially across Alabama’s Historically Black and Predominantly Black Community Colleges – we are building a stronger, more inclusive talent pipeline for our state.”

In 2025, the firm announced a philanthropic effort to help small businesses and entrepreneurs, especially in underserved communities. JPMorganChase in 2025 contributed more than $3.6 million in philanthropic funding to support small business growth, financial health and workforce development in Alabama.

“Our state is growing – there are more opportunities in manufacturing, energy and infrastructure,” said Jennifer DiSalvo, the head of Chase branches in Alabama. “At the same time, many employers need more skilled workers to fill these jobs. These training programs will help people get the skills they need, build a stronger workforce, and support Alabama’s future.”

A recent JPMorganChase PolicyCenter and Center for Geopolitics report, “Working to Win: Rebuilding America’s Workforce for an Age of Geopolitical Competition,” underscores that America’s talent shortage is now a national security risk – constraining growth in advanced manufacturing, energy, and defense. The report calls for large-scale, coordinated efforts to rebuild the nation’s skilled workforce, with a focus on critical industries like defense, energy and advanced manufacturing.

“Alabama’s workforce is the backbone of our economic future,” added DiSalvo. “By investing in skills training and career pathways, we’re not only supporting local communities – we’re also helping to address the national challenge of building a resilient, competitive workforce for the industries that matter most.”

Wednesday’s announcement coincided with the opening of Chase’s Mountain Brook location, and it follows branch openings in Florence and Huntsville in December. Chase announced in 2025 that it would triple the number of branches in Alabama by 2030, expanding access to financial services and creating more than 170 new jobs.

“This is a dream location,” said DiSalvo. “When you make the exit at Mountain Brook, our branch is the first thing you see. We’re neighbors with the zoo and the botanical gardens- signature destinations in our city.  And the branch looks great. Visually, it is our most impressive location in the state.”

The branch employs about 10 people, including specialists who provide investment advice, home-lending service and support to small businesses.

This new location is part of the bank’s plan to triple its branch network in the state by 2030, ultimately bringing the total number of Chase branches in Alabama to 35 and creating more than 170 new jobs.

JPMorganChase in Alabama

Since 1973, JPMorganChase has fostered economic opportunity and leveraged its resources and expertise to deepen its support across Alabama. Support includes:

  • Offering resources including mentorship and access to capital to more than 25,000 small business customers.
  • Supporting more than 15 state and local government, higher education, healthcare and nonprofit clients.
  • Helping more than 20 local financial firms serve communities.
  • Investing in local job growth by financing the construction of recycling, manufacturing, and wholesale distribution facilities.

About the Security & Resiliency Initiative

JPMorganChase’s commitment to workforce development in Alabama reflects the firm’s broader strategy to strengthen America’s economic resilience and competitiveness.

In late 2025, the firm announced its Security & Resiliency Initiative, a $1.5 trillion, 10-year plan to facilitate, finance, and invest in industries critical to national economic security and resilience — including advanced manufacturing, defense and aerospace, energy, frontier and strategic technologies, and pharma and health tech.

As part of this initiative, the firm will make direct equity and venture capital investments of up to $10 billion to help select companies primarily in the U.S. enhance their growth, spur innovation, and accelerate strategic manufacturing. Learn more about how JPMorganChase is investing in America.

About JPMorganChase

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (“U.S.”), with operations worldwide. JPMorganChase had $4.4 trillion in assets and $362 billion in stockholders’ equity as of Dec. 31, 2025. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

Janel Taylor:  Regions Bank Executive on Creating Space for Growth

By
Birmingham Times
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Janel Taylor is a senior vice president in Regions’ Human Resources division. (Provided)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

For Janel Taylor, a senior vice president in Regions’ Human Resources division, investing comes in a number of ways. “When you invest in people, you invest in performance,” she said. “That’s something I’ve seen both professionally and personally. Growth happens when you create space for it.”

Taylor’s investments have paid dividends. Last year she was named to American Banker magazine’s 2025 Most Powerful Women in Banking: Next list.

In 2023, she was named to the Birmingham Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.

“It’s a moment of gratitude,” Taylor said. “Gratitude for the mentors, allies and leaders who invested in me — and for the flexibility and support systems that allowed me to grow as a leader and a mother at the same time.”

Taylor joined Regions nine years ago and quickly became known for her ability to connect talent strategy with business outcomes. She is a key leader within the bank’s Learning and Development group, where she manages the bank’s Emerging Talent Program, an early career program created to train and develop current college students and recent college graduates as they begin to build a career with Regions.

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham; MBA from Columbia Southern, and post graduate training from the University of Texas, in Austin.

Before arriving at the Birmingham-based bank, Taylor helped establish a major HR call center at another institution — an early accomplishment that improved employee support while enabling HR professionals to tackle more strategic work.

That success marked the beginning of a career defined by innovation and a forward-thinking approach to leadership.

As her career advanced, Taylor also grew her family. Around the time she became a mother, she found herself drawn to the idea of pursuing an MBA — one that would deepen her analytical capabilities without derailing the momentum she had built professionally.

She enrolled in the online MBA program at Columbia Southern University (CSU) in Orange Beach, an Alabama-based institution known for its flexible learning model.

“The program was rigorous, flexible, and accessible,” Taylor said. “It gave me the opportunity to pursue a world-class education while balancing the realities of work and motherhood. I could study after my child went to bed or between meetings, without having to compromise the quality of the experience.”

For Taylor, CSU’s MBA program became more than a credential—it became a bridge between the leader she was and the leader she aspired to become. The coursework strengthened her ability to make data-informed decisions, manage cross-functional teams and refine her leadership philosophy.

“It sharpened my ability to think systematically and lead intentionally,” she said. “The leadership courses, in particular, challenged me to define what kind of leader I wanted to be — not just in business, but in life.”

Here’s some of what Taylor had to say after being named to the Birmingham Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.

  • What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?

When I reflect on my accomplishments, I’m most proud of the development and progression of my associates. At Regions we dedicate significant energy in the engagement and empowerment of our associates. When I see my team members tap into their strengths and achieve great measures, I’m excited to witness their impact on the organization.

  • What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I’ve received is to be my authentic self. It’s incredibly easy to allow self-doubt and negative self-talk to occupy space and destroy your confidence. When I became comfortable bringing my whole self to every organization and every interaction and every relationship, it’s then when my career really took off.

  • What’s a lesson you learned from a mistake?

HR can be incredibly fast paced. When you’re serving an entire enterprise, everything is a fire. Through mistakes, I’ve learned that I cannot do everything, be everything, and be everywhere. So, I’ve learned to take my time and be thoughtful in everything I do.

  • Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In the next 10 years I would love to dedicate more time to Board work. Through my service to the Junior League of Birmingham, we receive extensive training in what it means to be a member of a Board and I’d love to serve organizations through executive leadership.

  • What would it take to get more young people to embrace Birmingham?

Birmingham is a beautiful city with something for everyone. I moved here 20 years ago and fell in love with the restaurants, and theatres, and parks. Birmingham is a great place to raise a family and there are amazing communities and schools right here in the city. Also, other major metro are very easy to get to. After having more than your fill on everything Birmingham has to offer, you can visit Atlanta, Nashville, or New Orleans but enjoy the fruits of Birmingham without the price tag and the traffic.

  • What’s one change you would make to improve Birmingham

I would work to solve food insecurity in every community. Investment in organizations like Jones Valley Teaching Farm are critical to the communities they serve.

  • If you could go back and tell your teenage self something, what would it be?

My teenage years were interesting. I would tell myself that everything is OK and even the things that aren’t OK, always work themselves out. On the other side of a test, there’s always a testimony.

  • What would you like to see Birmingham accomplish by 2033?

I would love to see our roads improved and the return of a large music festival with a variety of big name musical acts.

  • What is the biggest lesson you learned during the pandemic?

The importance of good health is the biggest lesson I took away from the Pandemic. Being in HR and having a team responsible for the health and welfare of associates, exposed me to the tremendous threat that was Covid-19. I saw a lot of sick individuals working hard to recover from the virus and it empowered me to take better care of myself.

  • What’s an interesting fact about you that not everyone knows?

These are so difficult to answer. If I had to pick one thing, I would share that my daughter and I share the same birthday. Getting pregnant was especially difficult for me and my husband so imagine our delight when it finally happened. To then have my only child, a daughter, on my birthday was really really special.

  • If you had to choose a different career, what would you pick and why?

I love serving the Birmingham community. If I had to pick a new career, I would go into a nonprofit focused on underserved communities or children with disabilities.

  • If you could pick one superpower, what would it be?

My superpower would be to create more time.

  • What is the top thing on your bucket list?

Riding the Eastern and Oriental Express around Southeast Asia is high on my list. The cabins are exquisite and the food looks amazing.

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

By
Birmingham Times
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Jess Hilarious (Provided)

By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times

 TODAY, JANUARY 22…

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

**THE FAREWELL SYMPHONY with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and CONDUCTOR CARLOS IZXARAT at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

**R&B TRIVIA NIGHT, 7 – 9:15 p.m. at Alibi Bar and Tapas, 5514 First Avenue North, Birmingham.

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

**KARAOKE KICKBACK EVERY THURSDAY, 6 – 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3rd, 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.

**RnB POETICALLY LIT, 5-7 p.m. at Lit on 8th, 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!

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

**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.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23…

IT IS FRIDAY…the weekend starts…

**COMEDIENNE SPECIAL EVENT: JESS HILARIOUS 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.

**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 24…

SATURDAY JAZZ GREATS SPRING OPEN HOUSE, 9:30 – 11 a.m. at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

**XPOP CLUB NIGHT WITH DJ CHEN at Saturn.

**DRAG NIGHT at The Nick.

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

SUNDAY, JANUARY 25…

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

**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 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.

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

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

**4th SUNDAY FREE SHOW with our favorite 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.

**JON SPENCER with CASH LANGDON at Saturn.

**FOOL HOUSE – THE MILLENNIUM TOUR at Iron City.

MONDAY, JANUARY 26…

**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.

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

**THE MOTH OPEN MIC STORYSLAM: NEW LEAF (First-Timer’ Night) at Saturn.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 27…

**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.

**FREE CHE ARTHUR at Saturn.

 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28…

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

**FREE BOARDINGHOUSE at Saturn.

**KEITH DANIEL – PSYCHO SWAMP STOMP at The Nick.

**NEKO CASE – NEON GREY MIDNIGHT GREEN TOUR at Iron City.

**FENG E – The Upstairs at Avondale

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29 …

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

**JAZZ HAPPY HOUR with JOSE CARR AND HIS BAND, 5 p.m . at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

**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. at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

**(FREE) CRANKED to 11: A SPINAL TAP EVENT at Saturn.

**KARAOKE KICKBACK EVERY THURSDAY, 6 – 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3rd, 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.

**Q DOT, JAXXXON AND FRIENDS at The Nick.

 FRIDAY, JANUARY 30….

**GUTHRIE ECHOES with PORTICO at The Nick Early Show.

**BITTER ROUTE at The Nick.

**HOT IN HERRE” 2000s DANCE PARTY at Saturn.

**BINGO LOCO at Iron City.

**BEDHEAD, BEARFACE & I DECLARE! At the Upstairs at Avondale

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

AT THE VULCAN PARK AND MUSEUM…

**2026 EXHIBITION: REVOLUTIONARY ROOTS – Celebrating Alabama’s Unique History and Natural Beauty, in honor of the United States 250th Anniversary, a part of America250 opens its 2026 exhibition – Revolutionary Roots: Celebrating Alabama’s unique History and Natural Beauty at the Vulcan Park and Museum on January 30. 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, CEO of The Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama (HICA). The exhibition will be on view at Vulcan Park and Museum form January 30 2-26 through January 10, 2027.  For more, go to visitvulcan.com.

FOR BOOK LOVERS…

**BOOK – AFRICAN TIME (Universe to 1896) by Authors TDKA KILIMANJARO, PH.D and IFE KILIMANJARO, PH.D. of the University of Kmt. The authors share that the book was written to establish a general foundational chronology of African history from the earliest organizing of the universe that we live in to 1896 A.D.  The vast range of time documented, as history required that they plan, prepare and perfect multidisciplinary research procedure for over a decade. In the process of framing the world’s history and the history of Africans in the world, the authors focused on: Africa’s foundational civilizations (ancient African Kmt), the destruction of African civilization via the Holocaust of African Enslavement and on African diaspora struggles in what became the United States. AFRICAN TIME says that all civilizations have a life cycle that includes a period of gestation, rise and expansion, a period of maturity and stability, and a final period of decline, dissolution and disintegration. It further says that if the society dies a natural death, it is reborn from within the culture; if it is invaded and destroyed, it is then dismantled and carted away to other lands. African civilizations were invaded, destroyed and carted away by non-Africans. (The University of Kmt is an independent Pan-African educational cooperative that advances scholarship in natural sciences, social sciences, engineering/technology, humanities and the arts for those folk needing lucid and accurate answers to the fundamental questions of life and living. (For more: universityofkmt33@gmail.com)

FOR BUSINESS LOVERS…

**BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION ALABAMA CHAPTER (BCAAC) Membership Meeting is Monday, 6:30 p.m. in Downtown Entrepreneurial Center on 401 19th Street North, Bessemer (across from the Bessemer Public Library). Join BCAAC as they kick off the 2026 year with a purpose of setting priorities and organizing for the work ahead. The meeting is open to current and new members who are ready to build, lead and move with purpose.

IN THE CITY OF IRONDALE …

**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 BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS…in January …

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

AT THE GBHS…

**JANUARY 31 – JAZZ CAT BALL 2026 – The Greater Birmingham Human Society  (GBHS) Auxiliary is hosting the Ball of the Year, again. From show-stopping auction items, to unforgettable moments, to the dance floor, the countdown to the Jazz Cat Ball returns 5:30 p.m. for the Silent Auction at the Finley Center, Stadium Trace Parkway in Hoover. The theme is LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Dinner and Live Auction at 7:30 p.m. Entertainment and Bons Temps Casino at 9 p.m. AND, the evening concludes at 12 a.m. This is a black tie event.

FOR COMMUNITY LOVERS AND FOR HELP…

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

**ASBURY UMC FOOD PANTRY, 6690 Cahaba Valley Road, Wednesdays 2-4 p.m. and Every 1st 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.

LOOKING AHEAD…

FOR THINGS TO DO IN FEBRUARY BLACK HISTORY MONTH…MUSIC, SPORTS, VALENTINE’S DAY AND MORE…

FOR SUPERBOWL LOVERS, FUTURE EVENTS, SPORTS, FOOTBALL …

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

**FEBRUARY 14 – KISSING YOU VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL, 6 p.m. featuring ABRAHAM THE VOICE at Jazzi’s on 3rd.

**FEBRUARY 14 – VALENTINE’S DAY WITH DARLENE LOVE, 7:30 p.m. at UAB’s Alys Stephens Center.

**FEBRUARY 15 – RAILROAD EARTH at Iron City.

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

**FEBRUARY 27 – THE RUNAROUNDS at Iron City.

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 50th 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…

**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 you 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.

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.

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