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Birmingham Small Business Week Helps Local Entrepreneurs Find Their Community

By
Birmingham Times
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Nathalie Nelson Parker’s Civitas Consulting Group, Inc., signed on to help organize this year’s lineup of events for Birmingham Small Business Week. (Provided)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | The Birmingham Times

Nathalie Nelson Parker first attended Birmingham Small Business Week events about four years ago when she and her husband relocated to the Magic City from Nashville.

She calls the time she spent connecting with other local small business owners a “defining moment” in her entrepreneurial journey. She asked herself, “Am I going to go back to a 9-to-5 or am I going to be a full-time entrepreneur?”

Meeting other business owners gave her the courage to strike out on her own.

“There are other people that I can do this work beside as they grow their businesses,” Parker said she realized. “What’s important is that you build next to the people who are in this work with you.”

Parker is such a fan of Birmingham Small Business Week that her company, Civitas Consulting Group, Inc., signed on to help organize this year’s lineup of events, which is set for May 3-9.

“We’re just so privileged to be a part of the growth that’s happening in Birmingham,” Parker said. But this is a privilege she feels prepared for.

“We’ve helped so many of our clients grow and scale and offer systems that help them to be able to do that sustainably, so being able to partner with the city in this way feels synergistic,” Parker said.

Just as her consulting firm has helped businesses level up, the City of Birmingham hopes to help other local entrepreneurs do the same through this year’s Small Business Week programming.

For more than 60 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has celebrated National Small Business Week to recognize the contributions of entrepreneurs and small business owners. Birmingham Small Business Week 2026, which coincides with the national observance, is designed to connect local business owners to the resources, relationships, and opportunities needed to grow and scale.

Centered on the theme “Build Big: Elevate Your Vision. Empower Your Journey,” Birmingham Small Business Week will bring together entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, lenders, corporate partners, and ecosystem builders to help strengthen Birmingham’s small-business landscape.

Hosted by the City of Birmingham’s Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity (IEO), the weeklong lineup features programming for entrepreneurs at every stage. In addition to workshops and networking events aimed at helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses, Small Business Week will also include wellness events, a full day of workshops for nonprofits, and much more.

Connectivity

While Parker and the city’s IEO team want Small Business Week to connect entrepreneurs to resources, they also want to foster relationships.

“I think that’s what makes Small Business Week really important,” Parker said. “It’s businesses from all industries, businesses at all different stages of growth and maturation, but there’s a connectivity. And I think the city is that connectivity.”

For Magan Battle of Battle Realty & Company being around other entrepreneurs who also “stepped out on faith” was a highlight of her experience at last year’s Small Business Week events.

“It was a visual representation of someone else who looks like me, another woman that looks like me, who also stepped out,” she said.

Battle also appreciated learning how to access funding and other resources to grow her business.

“When you didn’t grow up around other entrepreneurs, you’re figuring it out along the way,” she said. Events like Small Business Week make figuring things out a bit easier.

The full event schedule for Birmingham Small Business Week is available at ieo.birminghamal.gov/bhmup.

April 30, 2026

By
Birmingham Times
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By multiple measures, the Birmingham area has seen dramatic declines in unemployment since the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

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EMPLOYMENT

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Marketing Coordinator – Content & Social

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

 

BT4/30/2026

 

________________________________

 

Guest Experience Manager

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

BT4/30/2026

 

________________________________

Director of PRACP and Senior Manager

BJCC, is recruiting for a 1) Director of Public Relations and Community Partnerships and 2) Senior Manager-Performing Arts Venues for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.

BT4/30/2026

 

________________________________

 

Senior Applications Systems Analyst/Programmer 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama seeks a Senior Applications Systems Analyst/Programmer in Birmingham, AL. Min req of Mast deg or frgn deg equiv in CS, or a clsly rltd fld + 3 yrs exp in job offered or a rltd occup. Telecommuting is an option. To apply, email resume w/ job title in subject to careers@bcbsal.org.

BT4/30/2026

 

________________________________

Senior Applications Systems Analyst/Programmer

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama seeks a Senior Applications Systems Analyst/Programmer in Birmingham, AL. Min req of Bach deg or frgn deg equiv in CS, Eng or a clsly rltd fld + 6 yrs exp in software devlpmt or a rltd occup. Must have Pega Senior System Architect certification. Telecommuting is an option. To apply, email resume w/ job title in subject to careers@bcbsal.org.

BT4/30/2026

 

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Applications Systems Analyst/Programmer

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama seeks an Applications Systems Analyst/Programmer III in Birmingham, AL. Min req of Masters deg or frgn deg equiv in Info Sys, CS, or a clsly rltd fld + 3 yrs exp in the job offered. Telecommuting is an option. To apply, email resume w/ job title in subject to careers@bcbsal.org.

BT4/30/2026

 

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LEGAL

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CV-2025-902944.00

 

PUBLICATION NOTICE OF CIVIL COMPLAINT

TO:        STANDARD CIVIL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS, INC. (“Standard Civil”), Siemens Financial Services, Inc. (“SFS”) gives this notice pursuant to a court order entered in the lawsuit styled as Siemens Financial Services, Inc. v. Standard Civil Construction Contractors, Inc. and Kathryn Isbell, Case No. CV-2025-902944.00, in the Birmingham Division of the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama. SFS filed a complaint alleging that Standard Civil breached its loan agreement with SFS by failing to make payments as agreed. SFS seeks damages in the amount of $410,414.63 plus per diem interest of $168.93 from March 9, 2025 until paid. SFS also seeks possession of the 2022 Caterpillar 336 Hydraulic Excavator, S/N 0DKS20535 Standard Civil pledged as collateral for the loan.

 

YOU MUST ANSWER THE COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST YOU WITHIN 30 DAYS OF JUNE 22, 2026 OR A DEFAULT MAY BE ENTERED AGAINST YOU.

 

DONE this 27th day of April, 2026.

/s/ Christopher A. Bottcher
Christoper Bottcher (BOT003)
Attorney for Plaintiff
Siemens Financial Services, Inc.

BT4/30/2026

 

_________________________________

Quitclaim Deed

 

STATE OF ALABAMA

COUNTY OF JEFFERSON

DATE:       OCTOBER 24, 2025

 

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT:

 

For and in consideration of the sum of 21.33 troy ounces of silver [$35,000 cash equivalent], the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned Trustees Roderick Smith I Ezella Smith, of Roderick and Ezella Smith Family Trust/ (RES FAMILY TRUST), an Alabama Revocable Trust whose tax mailing address is PO BOX 610392, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35261, USA, (the “Grantor”), hereby remises, releases, grants, sells, and conveys, as well as quitclaim, unto Darren Washington, dated October 24, 2025, (the “Grantee”), all of the Grantor’s right, title, interest and claim in or to the following described real estate, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama: 4705 Terrace S, Birmingham, AL 35208

 

SUBD: CENTRAL PARK LD CO 29-7&8 SEC/TWN/RNG/MER: SEC 08 TWN 18S RNG 03W LOT·2 BLK 7 CENTRAL PARK LAND COMPANY’S FIRST SURVEY.

BT4/30/2026

 

_________________________________

 

 

ADVERTISEMENT FOR COMPLETION

 

In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended, notice is hereby given that Southeastern Sealcoating, Inc, Contractor, has completed the Contract for Renovation of Parking Lot Resurfacing and Restriping at Martha Gaskin School for the State of Alabama and the (County) (City) of Birmingham, Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Exford Architects.

 

Southeastern Sealcoating, Inc

1330 Adamsville Industrial Parkway,

Birmingham, AL 35224

BT4/30/2026

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ADVERTISEMENT FOR COMPLETION

 

In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended, notice is hereby given that Southeastern Sealcoating, Inc, Contractor, has completed the Contract for (Construction) (Renovation) (Alteration) (Equipment) (Improvement) of Wenonah Oxmoor Road Drainage Improvements for the State of Alabama and the (County) (City) of Birmingham, Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify City of Birmingham (Architect).

 

Southeastern Sealcoating, Inc

1330 Adamsville Industrial Parkway,

Birmingham, AL 35224

BT4/30/2026

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LEGAL NOTICE

 

In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975,  notice is hereby given that  RJ Mechanical, Inc.,

 

Contractor has completed the Contract for (Construction) (Renovation) (Alteration) (Equipment) (Improvement) of:

 

UAB CEH Chilled Water Infrastructure Project

at

1720 University Blvd.

 

for the State of Alabama and the (County) (City) of  Jefferson, Birmingham, Owner(s), and have made a request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Poole and Company Architects, PC, 1827 1st Avenue N, Suite 100, Birmingham, AL 35203.

 

RJ Mechanical, Inc, Contractor, 3153 Bellwood Drive, Birmingham, AL 35243

 

BT4/30/2026

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LEGAL NOTICE

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sealed proposals will be received by the Alabama Community College System at the office at:

Jefferson State Community College

2601 Carson Rd. George Wallace Hall, Room 115 (1st floor conference room),

  Birmingham, AL 35215

UNTIL 2:00 PM Local Time, Thursday, May 7, 2026

at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read for:

 

Merritt Building – Multi-Purpose Room and Lobby Lighting

DAVIS ARCHITECTS PROJECT #4068

ACCS PROJECT # 2025 055 JSCC

 

New lighting fixtures and lighting control systems at Merritt Building.

 

A Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference to be held on Thursday, April 30, at 2:00 PM Local Time at Judy Merritt Building, Conference Room 129A at the Jefferson State Community College, 4600 Valleydale Road, Birmingham, AL 35242. Prequalification is required.

A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to Alabama Community College System in an amount not less than five (5)

percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000, must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Performance and Payment Bonds and evidence of insurance required in the bid documents will be required at the signing of the Contract.

Requirements for Pre-qualification: All interested General Contractors shall contact the Architect at cpittman@dadot.comto to receive the criteria and the prequalification application for this project. Written prequalification procedures and criteria are available for review at the office of Davis Architects, 120 23rd Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233.

Pre-qualification application forms: should be emailed to cpittman@dadot.com Forms will be received until 5:00 p.m. CDT, Tuesday, 04/28/2026.

Only general contractors who have been approved to bid pursuant to prequalification procedures and criteria established by the Owner will be eligible to bid for the Project.

Drawings and specifications may be examined at:

Davis Architects, 120 23rd Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233                                                                                                         

Bid Documents may be obtained from the Architect (Engineer) upon deposit of $ 100.00 per set, which will be refunded in full on the first 1 set issued to each general contract bidder submitting a Bonafide bid, upon return of documents in good condition within ten days of bid date. Other sets for general contractors, and sets for subcontractors and dealers, may be obtained with the same deposit, which will be refunded as above, less cost of printing, reproduction, handling, and distribution. Prequalified general contractors may request printed or electronic bid documents from cpittman@dadot.com.

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

Courtney Pittman, AIA

ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM                                                                          ARCHITECT/ENGINEER

BT4/30/2026

_____________________________

LEGAL NOTICE

Deandre Smith, whose whereabouts are unknown must answer Custody Documents in reference to his son Lyam Smith. Several attempts have been made to serve documents to his listed and last known address with negative results. This is an attempt and acknowledgement that he is notified of intended action that Michael and Siblylle Spears will obtain custody of Lyam Smith. A judgment by default may be rendered in Case Number Dr-25-531 Madison County Circuit Court, Huntsville AL

BT4/30/2026

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

PRE-QUALIFICATIONS PROPOSALS will be received via mail or email, on behalf of the Owner, the Jefferson County Commission, by CCR Architecture & Interiors at 2920 1st Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233 for the below referenced project until noon Central Standard Time on Monday, May 4th  after which no further applications will be considered. The pre-qualification procedure is intended to identify responsible and competent bidders relative to the requirements of the Project. Each prospective bidder will be notified of the results of the pre-qualification on Thursday, May 14th, 2025. Pre-qualification proposal requirements may be obtained from the Architect by request via email to bids@ccrarchitecture.com. The Owner will be prequalifying the following categories of trades: Prime General Contractors and Electrical Sub-Contractors. Each Contractor must have proven experience in their Line of Work.

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

BIRMINGHAM FLEET MANAGEMENT FACILITY GENERATOR REPLACEMENT AND PERIMETER SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS

The scope of work removes and replaces exterior perimeter fencing, gates, and operators with updates to access control at the gates and building entrance points. The existing generator will be decommissioned and removed, and new generator with new disconnects and pad to be installed in a new location on the property. The project will occur in one phase and will commence once all project components are procured and ready for installation. The building facility is to remain fully operational and secure for the duration of the project.

A MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at 2:00pm CST on Tuesday May 19th, 2026 in the Jefferson County Courthouse, Conference Room A420, Fourth Floor of the Annex Building at 716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd, N, Birmingham, Alabama. Because of the nature of the project, General Contractors must attend the Pre-Bid Conference. If the number of bidders who attend the Pre-Bid Conference decreases so there is little or no competition, the Bid may be postponed at the discretion of the Owner.

DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS will be available through Alabama Graphics plan room or via Dropbox link provided upon request by the architect at bids@ccrarchitecture.com. Drawings will be available the day before the Prebid conference Monday, May 18th, 2026.

SEALED PROPOSALS will be received by the Jefferson County Commission at Room 1, General Services at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Sealed proposals will be publicly opened and read in the Commission Chamber, Second Floor, Room 270 at 2:00pm CST on Thursday June 4th, 2026. No bids submitted after this time will be considered. This requirement will not be waived. The clock in the Commission Chamber will be used to determine the correct time for the completion of the bidding period. A bid bond, executed by a surety company duly authorized & qualified to make such a bond in Alabama, payable to Jefferson County in an amount not less than five (5) percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000, must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Performance Bond at 100% of contract price and Payment Bonds, evidence of insurance required in the bid documents, and E-Verify Memorandum of Understanding will be required at the signing of the Contract.

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

BT4/30/2026

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SECTION – 002115 INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREQUALICIATION

ADVERTISEMENT for BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATION And NOTICE of INTENT to RECEIVE BIDS from PREQUALIFIED BIDDERS

 

Pre-qualification submittals were received by the architect SSOE, Inc., at 2204 Lakeshore Dr #110, Birmingham, AL 35209 (Tel. Tel. 205- 323-2373) on Friday, February 6, 2026 before 10:00AM by Andrea Simpson, Project Manager (asimpson@ssoe.com), after which time no further requests will be considered. One (1) paper copy, one (1) pdf on a flash drive, and (1) one pdf by email were required for pre-qualification approval. Pre-qualification Requirements Information Package may be obtained from the Architect upon letterhead or email request to adinca@ssoe.com..

 

JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSION

JEFFERSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE ROOF TERRACE RESTORATION

 

  1. GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK:

The project will be done in a single phase. The scope of work is a multi-faceted project that encompasses the demolition, excavation and installation of new waterproofing on the lower level of the courthouse (located below the roof terrace-Linn Park side); the full renovation of the roof terrace, planters, and planting beds; the renovation of existing planters at the courthouse annex Linn Park side entry and outdoor lounges on the existing courthouse roof level; the full renovation of the Richard Arrington (Main Courthouse Entry) stairs, terrace and superstructure; demolition and renovation of the courthouse wings below grade waterproofing on the Richard Arrington side of the courthouse. The location of the project is the Jefferson County Courthouse, 716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, AL 35203.

 

  1. PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR AND ROOFING CONTRACTOR BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS

General Contractor bidders interested in submitting a proposal must apply for pre-qualification and must be licensed under the Provision of Title 34, Chapter 8, and Code of Alabama, 1975. The General Contractor shall include a copy of their Alabama Contractors license in their pre-qualification submittal. Each contractor must have a minimum of 5 years’ proven experience in their line of work. Only General Contractor’s who have completed the pre-qualification process and have been approved will be eligible to submit a bid for the Project.

The pre-qualification procedure is intended to identify responsible and competent bidders relative to the requirements of the Project. Each prospective bidder has been notified of the results of the pre-qualification on Friday, April 10, 2026.

 

  1. BIDS:

The Jefferson County Commission will receive sealed Proposals for the project until 2:00 PM Local Time on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at the Jefferson County Courthouse, Room 1, General Services, 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203, after which time they will be opened in the Commission Chamber, Second Floor, Room 270.

No Bids will be accepted after the time stated for the receipt of Bids. This requirement will not be waived. The clock in the County Commission Chamber will be used to determine the correct time as determined by the Director of General Services, or his designated representative. At the time stated above, the Proposals will be opened and publicly read aloud.

All Bids must be on a lump-sum basis. Submit two (2) identical copies of the Bid on the Proposal Form provided without changes, in a sealed envelope bearing the Contractor’s name, and current Alabama license number. Bids that do not bear the General Contractor’s current license number will be returned without being opened.

Construction Contracts shall be awarded only to a Prime General Contractor, licensed by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors, as required by Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama. Construction Contracts in excess of $100,000 shall be awarded only to Contractors licensed as required by the 1978 Code of Alabama, Title 34, Chapter 8 as amended. Bidders must be “responsible” in accordance with criteria in the Bid Documents and as stipulated by Title 39-2-3-(e) of the Code of Alabama

A Bid Bond, executed by a Surety company duly authorized and qualified to make such bonds in Alabama, payable to Jefferson County in the amount of 5% of the Bid, but not more than $10,000, must accompany the Bidder’s Proposal. Performance and Labor and Material Payment Bonds in the amount of 100% of the contract price, will be required when the Contract is presented by the Contractor to the Owner.

A mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held at 1:00PM Local Time on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 in the Jefferson County Courthouse Annex, Conference Room A420, Because of the nature of this project, General Contractors who have been pre-approved must attend the Pre-Bid Conference. If the number of bidders who attend the Pre-Bid Conference decreases so there is little or no competition, the Bid may be postponed at the discretion of the Owner.

Bid Documents (Drawings and Project Manual) will be open to public examination after 12:00 PM Local Time on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the office of SSOE, Inc., at 2204 Lakeshore Dr #110, Birmingham, AL 35209 (Tel. Tel. 205- 323-2373).

Bid Documents will be provided electronically on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, to pre-approved General Contractors and these plan rooms: Construct Connect, Birmingham Construction Industry Authority; Construction Journal, and CMD Group. Bids will only be accepted from pre-approved General Contractor bidders who have confirmed receipt of electronic documents to the Architect. No Bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for the receipt of Bids for a period of ninety (90) days.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids; to waive formalities and technicalities, and to proceed in its’ own best interests.

BT4/30/2026

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LEGAL NOTICE:

 

 

 

Sealed proposals will be received by the Alabama Community College System at the office at:

Jefferson State Community College

2601 Carson Rd. George Wallace Hall, Room 115 (1st floor conference room),

  Birmingham, AL 35215

UNTIL 2:00 PM Local Time, Thursday, May 14, 2026

The original Bid Opening scheduled for May 12, 2026, and mandatory Pre-Bid Conference scheduled for April 30, 2026, have been CANCELED.

at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read for:

 

Optic Fiber Upgrades – Jefferson Campus

DAVIS ARCHITECTS PROJECT #4089

ACCS PROJECT # 2025 024 JSCC

 

Fiber optic conduit and cabling at Jefferson campus.

 

A Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference to be held on Thursday, May 7, at 3:00 PM Local Time at Jefferson State Community College, 2601 Carson Rd. George Wallace Hall, Room 115 (1st floor conference room) Birmingham, AL 35215. Prequalification is required.

A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to Alabama Community College System in an amount not less than five (5)

percent of the amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000, must accompany the bidder’s proposal. Performance and Payment Bonds and evidence of insurance required in the bid documents will be required at the signing of the Contract.

Requirements for Pre-qualification: All interested General Contractors shall contact the Architect at cpittman@dadot.comto to receive the criteria and the prequalification application for this project. Written prequalification procedures and criteria are available for review at the office of Davis Architects, 120 23rd Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233.

Pre-qualification application forms: should be emailed to cpittman@dadot.com Forms will be received until 5:00 p.m. CDT, Monday, 05/04/2026.

Only general contractors who have been approved to bid pursuant to prequalification procedures and criteria established by the Owner will be eligible to bid for the Project.

Drawings and specifications may be examined at:

Davis Architects, 120 23rd Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233                                                                                                         

Bid Documents may be obtained from the Architect (Engineer) upon deposit of $ 100.00 per set, which will be refunded in full on the first 1 set issued to each general contract bidder submitting a Bonafide bid, upon return of documents in good condition within ten days of bid date. Other sets for general contractors, and sets for subcontractors and dealers, may be obtained with the same deposit, which will be refunded as above, less cost of printing, reproduction, handling, and distribution. Prequalified general contractors may request printed or electronic bid documents from cpittman@dadot.com.

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

Courtney Pittman, AIA

ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM                                                                          ARCHITECT/ENGINEER

BT4/30/2026

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LEGAL NOTICE

 

INVITATION TO BID

ITB# 26-26“Disposable Food Service Supplies”

JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL

 

Bids will be received by the Jefferson County Commission Purchasing Agent, Michael D. Matthews, Ph.D., C.P.M., until 4:00 (CST) p.m. on Monday, May 18, 2026, for “Disposable Food Service Supplies”.

 

All solicitation information, including forms and specifications, is available for download free at https://jeffcobids.jccal.org/Search.aspx .  Interested parties must meet bidder requirements and qualifications as specified in the bid documents on or before the date that the bids are due.

 

All questions must be submitted in writing to procurementservices@jccal.org, attention Ericka Andrew.

 

A pre-bid conference will be held Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. (CST) in Purchasing Suite 830  of the Jefferson County Main Courthouse, 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. N., Birmingham, AL 35203.

 

BT4/30/2026

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Federal Public Defender

 

 

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is soliciting comments from the public and members of the bar regarding the performance of the incumbent Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Alabama, Mr. Kevin L. Butler, and his office. If requested, the identity of a respondent to this solicitation will not be divulged without prior consent. However, Mr. Butler will be provided with a general description of the source and nature of any comments.

 

All comments should be submitted to Ms. Ashlyn D. Beck, Circuit Executive, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, at CA11_Appointments@ca11.uscourts.gov on or before May 28, 2026. Please indicate “Federal Public Defender – ALND” in the subject line.

BT4/30/2026

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LEGAL NOTICE

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) – No. 2026-01-REBID-3
Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (MAX Transit)

The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) hereby solicits sealed bids for CNG          Station Site Demolition & Abatement. Bid documents are available exclusively through the PlanetBids Vendor Portal at https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/portal/55902/portal-home. Bids are due: Thursday, May 7th, 2026, at 2:00 PM (CST).

Submissions must be made electronically via PlanetBids. Late bids will not be accepted.

A (Non-Mandatory) Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, at 10:00 AM (CST) via in-person or virtually. The meeting link is provided in the IFB documents.

Questions must be submitted through PlanetBids by Tuesday, April 28th, 2026, at 3:00 PM (CST).

This project is funded in part by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and is subject to all applicable federal requirements, including Buy America, Davis-Bacon, Lobbying, and Debarment provisions.

BJCTA reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

BT4/30/2026

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ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID

 

The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority will be accepting sealed bids for:

 

BJCC Concert Hall Sound System Upgrade

Bid Information:  requirements, plans, and specifications may be downloaded at https://www.bjcc.org/vendor-opportunities. There is no charge for downloading bid documents. They may also be examined at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Purchasing Office, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd, N., Exhibition Hall, 3rd Floor, Birmingham, AL 35203.

The BJCC Concert Hall Sound System Upgrade includes the Contractor supplying a complete and functional overall system. They shall verify complete parts lists, the accuracy of the type, numbers, and overall suitability of the equipment to provide functional system coordinated and interfaced with related work.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 10:00 am in the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Executive Board Room, 5th Floor North Exhibition Hall, located at 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd North, Birmingham, AL 35203.

 

Bids must be received for public opening on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 10:00 am in the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Executive Board Room, 5th Floor North Exhibition Hall, located at 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd North, Birmingham, AL 35203. All bids received after 10:00 a.m. on the bid date will be retained in the file unopened.

 

Bidders will be required to make a good faith effort to include MBE and DBE companies in the execution of this project.

 

Questions should be emailed to Sharon.Proctor@bjcc.org. Telephone inquiries are not accepted.

 

Sharon Proctor

Purchasing Manager

Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority

 

BT4/30/2026

_____________________________

 

Abandoned Vehicle
2001 Dodge, Ram 3500, VIN#1B7MC337X1J517871

Vehicle Location: 1036 46th Street Ensley, Birmingham, AL 35208

Vehicle will be sold at public auction for cash to the highest bidder at 7:00 AM on 05/31/26. The seller reserves the right to reject any bid and the right to bid.

BT4/30/2026

_____________________________

 

Abandoned Vehicle
1994 Chevrolet C1500, VIN#2GCEC19K6R1271041
Vehicle Location: 368 Midwood Ave, Midfield, Al 35228

 

Vehicle will be sold at public auction for cash to the highest bidder at 7:00 AM on 05/31/26. The seller reserves the right to reject any bid and the right to bid.

BT4/30/2026

_____________________________

ABANDONED VEHICLES

2014 Chevrolet Traverse

1GNKRFED4EJ213796

2014 Chevrolet Cruze

1G1PC5SB7E7312518

2025 Kia K5 LXS

KNAG24J77S5291188

Will be sold on 05/29/2026

at 11:00 AM at 1 800 Wreckers 

130 3rd Ave No Birmingham 

AL 35204 

BT4/30/2026

_____________________________

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

 

Sealed Bid Proposals will be received by the Environmental Services Department, Jefferson County, Alabama, online at QuestCDN (eBidDoc #10127603), until 2:00 P.M. local time on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 and then publicly opened and read via virtual video conference using Microsoft Teams for the SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM – ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM – CONTRACT NO. 2023 PS02 – CHAPEL 1 AND 2, GARYWOOD AND MASON CITY PS IMPROVEMENTS. Microsoft Teams can be accessed using a direct invitation link sent via email (request this link from Tad Powell, Hazen, and Sawyer, at email tpowell@hazenandsawyer.com).

 

The scope of work includes the demolition of existing pump stations, construction of four (4) new pump stations, including but not limited to new wet well installations, electrical equipment upgrades, installation of standby pumps, new valve vaults, ARVs, and other miscellaneous appurtenances, 467 feet of gravity sewer, and 715 feet of force mains.

 

Bidding Documents are on file for inspection, by appointment only, at the following location:

 

Jefferson County Environmental Services Department

716 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North, Suite A-300

Birmingham, Alabama 35203

Contact for Appointment: Gabrielle Sinsky at (205)568-5710

 

Complete sets of electronic Bidding Documents (Specifications and Drawings) are available at https://www.jeffcoes.org (navigate to “BIDS/CONTRACTS” to “NOTICE TO BIDDERS” to “Asset Management Program – Project Bid Information” for a listing of projects. Prior to downloading the Bidding Documents, Bidders will be required to set up a QuestCDN.com account and pay a $64.00 fee ($22.00 fee for download only). Hard copies of the Bidding Documents are the responsibility of the Bidders. Contact QuestCDN at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance with navigating the website and digital project information.

 

Bids will only be accepted from pre-qualified contractors who are listed on the Plan Holders List, signifying that they have purchased a set of documents from the Engineer, and who attend the MANDATORY Pre-Bid Conference.

 

NO BID PROPOSAL SHALL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE TIME STATED FOR RECEIVING BID PROPOSALS IN THIS NOTICE. A FORM CONTAINING THE CONTRACTOR’S NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE FIRM AND THE CONTRACTOR’S ALABAMA LICENSE NUMBER WITH THE DATE OF EXPIRATION IS REQUIRED WITH THE SUBMISSION OF THE BID. THESE REQUIREMENTS SHALL NOT BE WAIVED.

 

The Contractor is hereby advised that TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE on this project. The Contract Time for this project is six hundred and sixty (660) consecutive calendar days. The first 180 days will be an administrative period followed by a 480-day construction period from the effective date of the written Notice to Proceed to achieve Final Acceptance. If mutually agreed upon between the Owner and Contractor, the construction period may commence prior to the end of the administrative period. Upon such agreement the contract end date will be modified based on the date of termination of the administrative period. Liquidated damages will be assessed if this time limit is exceeded. The Contractor may apply for an extension of time in accordance with the provisions of the Contract; however, such an extension must be approved prior to the Contract Completion Date to avoid the imposition of liquidated damages.

 

The Contractor is hereby advised that a Pre-Bid Conference will be held via a virtual video conference on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. This Pre-Bid Conference is MANDATORY for all contractors planning to submit a Bid Proposal on this project. The conference call will be held using Microsoft Teams and can be accessed using a direct invitation link sent via email (request this link from Tad Powell, Hazen, and Sawyer, at email tpowell@hazenandsawyer.com). If you are unable to join the call due to technical difficulties, call Tad Powell (Hazen and Sawyer) at 205-957-4151 or Gabrielle Sinsky at (205)568-5710 for assistance.

 

Questions concerning meaning or intent of Bidding Documents shall be submitted to Tad Powell, PE, Senior Associate, Hazen, and Sawyer, at email tpowell@hazenandsawyer.com no later than 5:00 p.m. local time on Friday, May 22, 2026. All questions must be in writing on Bidder’s company’s letterhead.

 

THE ATTENTION OF ALL BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE STATE LAW GOVERNING GENERAL CONTRACTORS, AS SET FORTH IN ALABAMA CODE SECTIONS 34-8-1 THROUGH SECTION 34-8-28 (1975), AS AMENDED, CHAPTER 4, SECTION 65 TO 82 (INCLUSIVE) OF TITLE 46 OF THE CODE OF ALABAMA OF 1940, AS AMENDED; AND BIDDERS SHALL BE GOVERNED BY SAID LAW INSOFAR AS IT IS APPLICABLE. THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROVISIONS OF THE CODE MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR THE OWNER TO CONSIDER A BID PROPOSAL FROM ANYONE WHO IS NOT PROPERLY LICENSED UNDER SUCH CODE PROVISIONS.

 

THE ATTENTION OF BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF ALABAMA CODE SECTION 39-2-14 (1975) AS AMENDED, REQUIRING A NONRESIDENT CONTRACTOR TO REGISTER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN THE PERFORMANCE OF A CONTRACT IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA.

THE ATTENTION OF BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF ALABAMA CODE SECTION 39-3-5 (1975) AS AMENDED, REGARDING PREFERENCE TO RESIDENT CONTRACTORS.

THE ATTENTION OF BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF ALABAMA ACT 2016-312 AS AMENDED, REGARDING NOT ENGAGING IN THE BOYCOTT OF A PERSON OR ENTITY BASED IN OR DOING BUSINESS WITH A JURISDICTION WITH WHICH THIS STATE ENJOYS OPEN TRADE.

 

THE ATTENTION OF THE BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF ALABAMA CODE SECTION 41-16-161 AS AMENDED, REGARDING NOT ENGAGING IN ECONOMIC BOYCOTTS.

THE EXCAVATION PORTION OF THIS PROJECT IS CLASSIFIED AS A CLASS “D1” SMALL, PRE-CAST PUMPING STATIONS & RELATED FACILITIES SEWER PROJECTS. ALL PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS MUST BE PRE-QUALIFIED WITH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO BID CLASS “D1” SMALL, PRE-CAST PUMPING STATIONS & RELATED FACILITIES SEWER PROJECTS IN ORDER TO BID ON THIS PROJECT. To pre-qualify with the department and to construct class “D1” SMALL, PRE-CAST PUMPING STATIONS & RELATED FACILITIES SEWER PROJECTS, each prospective bidder must furnish written evidence of competency and evidence of financial responsibility to the county.

 

ACCORDINGLY, THE COUNTY WILL NOT ACCEPT PRE-QUALIFICATIONS AFTER MAY 15, 2026. BID PROPOSAL FORMS WILL NOT BE ISSUED TO PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS WHO DO NOT PRE-QUALIFY.

 

CONTRACTORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, 716 RICHARD ARRINGTON JR. BOULEVARD NORTH, SUITE A300, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, (205) 325-5496 IN ADVANCE OF THE DEADLINE TO DETERMINE IF THE CONTRACTOR IS PRE-QUALIFIED TO CONSTRUCT CLASS “D1” SMALL, PRE-CAST PUMPING STATIONS & RELATED FACILITIES SEWER PROJECTS, OR FOR OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION.

 

 

BY:                                                                                                       

David Denard

Director of Environmental Services

Jefferson County, Alabama

 

 

BT4/30/2026

_____________________________

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

 

Sealed Bid Proposals will be received by the Environmental Services Department, Jefferson County, Alabama, online at QuestCDN (eBidDoc #10168429), until 2:00 P.M. local time on Wednesday, JUNE 3, 2026 and then publicly opened and read via virtual video conference using Microsoft Teams for the SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM – ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM – CONTRACT NO. 2021 AMP03 – WEST HOMEWOOD PARK SEWER CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS. Microsoft Teams can be accessed using a direct invitation link sent via email (request this link from Tad Powell, Hazen, and Sawyer, at email tpowell@hazenandsawyer.com).

 

The project includes mobilization and demobilization; replacement of approximately 3,639 LF of existing sanitary sewer with 24-inch diameter ductile iron pipe; replacement of approximately 10 service taps, including creek crossings; and installation of 17 precast concrete manholes with associated drop connections, sleeves, reconnections to existing sewer lines, castings, adjustments, and required earthwork.

 

Bidding Documents are on file for inspection, by appointment only, at the following location:

 

Jefferson County Environmental Services Department

716 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North, Suite A-300

Birmingham, Alabama 35203

Contact for Appointment: Jacob Gunter at (205) 325-8725

 

Complete sets of electronic Bidding Documents (Specifications and Drawings) are available at https://www.jeffcoes.org (navigate to “BIDS/CONTRACTS” to “NOTICE TO BIDDERS” to “Asset Management Program – Project Bid Information” for a listing of projects. Prior to downloading the Bidding Documents, Bidders will be required to set up a QuestCDN.com account and pay a $64.00 fee ($22.00 fee for download only). Hard copies of the Bidding Documents are the responsibility of the Bidders. Contact QuestCDN at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance with navigating the website and digital project information.

 

Bids will only be accepted from pre-qualified contractors who are listed on the Plan Holders List, signifying that they have purchased a set of documents from the Engineer, and who attend the MANDATORY Pre-Bid Conference.

 

NO BID PROPOSAL SHALL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE TIME STATED FOR RECEIVING BID PROPOSALS IN THIS NOTICE. A FORM CONTAINING THE CONTRACTOR’S NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE FIRM AND THE CONTRACTOR’S ALABAMA LICENSE NUMBER WITH THE DATE OF EXPIRATION IS REQUIRED WITH THE SUBMISSION OF THE BID. THESE REQUIREMENTS SHALL NOT BE WAIVED.

 

The Contractor is hereby advised that TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE on this project. The Contract Time for this project is three hundred sixty-five (365) consecutive calendar days from the effective date of the written Notice to Proceed to achieve Final Acceptance. Liquidated damages will be assessed if this time limit is exceeded. The Contractor may apply for an extension of time in accordance with the provisions of the Contract; however, such an extension must be approved prior to the Contract Completion Date to avoid the imposition of liquidated damages.

 

The Contractor is hereby advised that a Pre-Bid Conference will be held via a virtual video conference on Thursday, MAY 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. .  This Pre-Bid Conference is MANDATORY for all contractors planning to submit a Bid Proposal on this project. The conference call will be held using Microsoft Teams and can be accessed using a direct invitation link sent via email (request this link from Tad Powell, Hazen, and Sawyer, at email tpowell@hazenandsawyer.com). If you are unable to join the call due to technical difficulties, call Tad Powell (Hazen and Sawyer) at 205-957-4151 or Jacob Gunter (Jefferson County) at (205) 325-8725 for assistance.

 

Questions concerning meaning or intent of Bidding Documents shall be submitted to Tad Powell, PE, Senior Associate, Hazen, and Sawyer, at email tpowell@hazenandsawyer.com  no later than 5:00 p.m. local time on May 26, 2026. All questions must be in writing on Bidder’s company’s letterhead or email.

 

THE ATTENTION OF ALL BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE STATE LAW GOVERNING GENERAL CONTRACTORS, AS SET FORTH IN ALABAMA CODE SECTIONS 34-8-1 THROUGH SECTION 34-8-28 (1975), AS AMENDED, CHAPTER 4, SECTION 65 TO 82 (INCLUSIVE) OF TITLE 46 OF THE CODE OF ALABAMA OF 1940, AS AMENDED; AND BIDDERS SHALL BE GOVERNED BY SAID LAW INSOFAR AS IT IS APPLICABLE. THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROVISIONS OF THE CODE MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR THE OWNER TO CONSIDER A BID PROPOSAL FROM ANYONE WHO IS NOT PROPERLY LICENSED UNDER SUCH CODE PROVISIONS.

 

THE ATTENTION OF BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF ALABAMA CODE SECTION 39-2-14 (1975) AS AMENDED, REQUIRING A NONRESIDENT CONTRACTOR TO REGISTER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN THE PERFORMANCE OF A CONTRACT IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA.

THE ATTENTION OF BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF ALABAMA CODE SECTION 39-3-5 (1975) AS AMENDED, REGARDING PREFERENCE TO RESIDENT CONTRACTORS.

THE ATTENTION OF BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF ALABAMA ACT 2016-312 AS AMENDED, REGARDING NOT ENGAGING IN THE BOYCOTT OF A PERSON OR ENTITY BASED IN OR DOING BUSINESS WITH A JURISDICTION WITH WHICH THIS STATE ENJOYS OPEN TRADE.

THE ATTENTION OF THE BIDDERS IS CALLED TO THE PROVISIONS OF ALABAMA CODE SECTION 41-16-161 AS AMENDED, REGARDING NOT ENGAGING IN ECONOMIC BOYCOTTS.

 

 

THIS PROJECT IS CLASSIFIED AS A CLASS “B” (8” thru 36” Diameter) SEWER LINE PROJECT. ALL PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS MUST BE PRE-QUALIFIED WITH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO BID CLASS “B” SEWER LINE PROJECTS. TO PRE-QUALIFY WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND TO CONSTRUCT CLASS “B” SEWER LINE PROJECTS, EACH PROSPECTIVE BIDDER MUST FURNISH WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF COMPETENCY AND EVIDENCE OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COUNTY.

 

ACCORDINGLY, THE COUNTY WILL NOT ACCEPT PRE-QUALIFICATION APPLICATIONS AFTER MAY 15, 2026. BID PROPOSAL FORMS WILL NOT BE ISSUED TO PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS WHO DO NOT PRE-QUALIFY.

 

CONTRACTORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, 716 RICHARD ARRINGTON JR. BOULEVARD NORTH, SUITE A300, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, (205) 325-5496 IN ADVANCE OF THE DEADLINE TO DETERMINE IF THE CONTRACTOR IS PRE-QUALIFIED TO CONSTRUCT CLASS “B” SEWER LINE PROJECTS, OR FOR OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION.

 

 

BY:                                                                                                       

David Denard

Director of Environmental Services

Jefferson County, Alabama

 

BT4/30/2026

_____________________________

LEGAL NOTICE

 

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

that       Williford Orman Construction LLC  Contractor, has completed the Contract for Construction

of Ashville Community Park at 3rd Ave and 7th St for the State of Alabama and the (City) of Ashville, Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Goodwyn Mills Cawood, LLC

 

 

 

                Williford Orman Construction LLC

(Contractor)

 

 

______PO Box 1985, Pelham, AL 35124       

(Business Address)

 

BT4/30/2026

_____________________________

Legal Notice

The Birmingham Airport Authority (“BAA”) is soliciting sealed bids from qualified contractors for the Runway 24 End Strengthening Project at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. Bid documents are available at http://Planroom.GarverUSA.com (Quest Project No. 10173500). A pre-bid conference will be held May 7, 2026, at 1:00 PM in Conference Room 1 at the BAA administrative Office. Sealed bids are due June 5, 2026, at 2:00 PM (local time) at the BAA Administrative Office, 5900 Messer Airport Highway, Birmingham, AL, and will be publicly opened thereafter.

BT4/30/2026

_____________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘My Thing Was That You Know When You Know … I Had No Doubt About It’

By
Birmingham Times
-
0
34th Anniversary

Jo & Charles Chambers

By Mia Watkins | The Birmingham Times

Live: Vestavia Hills

Married: August 10, 1991

Met: Jo and Charles Chambers either met in the 1960s or the 1990s, depending on who you ask.

“He says we met when we were in college.” Jo Chambers said. “I don’t remember meeting him. I remember his roommates, but I don’t remember meeting him. He says he saw me, but I don’t ever remember being introduced.”

Charles Chambers, an Auburn student at the time, was doing a co-op program with BellSouth in the late 60s.

“We met at UAB,” he said. “There was a gathering of UAB students as well as Auburn. This was either in 1968 or 1969. She was dating a Marine. I was dating someone else, too”

Fast forward to 1990, and the two crossed paths again.

“With people from that group, I was living in Tuscaloosa at the time, and he was living in Birmingham,” she said. “I had come up to a party with those friends. We were having breakfast at a restaurant and he walked in. It was the day of the Auburn-Alabama game, and my friend Pat says, ‘Oh, there’s Charles.’ I looked up and I said, ‘Who’s Charles?’ She says, ‘You remember Charles.’ She tried to explain. I didn’t remember him. She was telling me that we were going to get together again at Christmas. But he didn’t come to that gathering. He came to the New Year’s gathering. That’s when we met.

“He came in and he sat down by me, and we started talking,” Jo said. “Everybody moved over to Pat’s house to play cards. We kept talking. We were card partners. You know you get up, come back and play again at some point. We just talked and talked the whole night.”

Charles told Jo he had to take his son on a camping trip, but they exchanged numbers and kissed goodnight. Charles didn’t call her until Sunday.

“He was actually in Centreville at his mom’s, which isn’t far from Tuscaloosa,” Jo remembered. “He had to come over to Tuscaloosa to get a part for his mom’s stove.”

Charles stopped by to see Jo.

“I had rollers in my hair, but he came back.”

First date: The two went to see “Dances with Wolves” on their first date.

“We were just getting to know each other, so we were just kind of feeling each other out,” Jo said.

Their second date was a comedy show with the comedian George Wallace.

“I’d never been married,” Jo said. “I had dated several guys that I thought I would have married but didn’t for whatever reason. So, I said, ‘God, if you want me to have somebody, send somebody because I can’t get this right.’ I had just broken up with a guy in November before we met in December. I said that maybe this is something.”

Charles, who had been married for 18 years previously, wasn’t necessarily looking for a relationship.

“But it felt right,” he said. “The ease of conversation and there didn’t seem to be any pretentiousness on Jo’s part. I felt that this may be the one.”

The two embarked on a relationship, despite living in two different cities.

“We talked almost every night on the phone,” Jo said. “I thought, maybe this is what I’m looking for.”

Jo and Charles Chambers initially met as college students in the 1960s, but connected as a couple in 1990, marrying in 1991. (Provided)

The turn/proposal: “He knew sooner than I did,” Jo said.

The two were talking one night in March when Charles asked Jo a life-changing question.

“He said, ‘What if I said let’s get married in December?” she said. “You know, I’m going along with this and say, ‘Nobody wants to get married in December. That’s Christmas. I don’t want my wedding anniversary and Christmas on the same day.’ He threw out some other things, ‘What about June?’ I had recently gone back to school to get my second master’s. I was in school at the time at UA. And I said, ‘I’ll be in school in June, we can’t get married in June.’ He threw out something else and asked when would be a good time. I said, ‘Well probably August. I would have finished my classes. That would be before I start student teaching.’ He said OK.”

“When I hung up, I was like, ‘What just happened?” she remembered with a laugh. “Was that a proposal or were we just talking? I thought that we hadn’t known each other that long, is this guy crazy? I just didn’t know what to think about that conversation. I had to ponder that one for a while.”

For Charles, the marriage conversation didn’t come too soon. It was right on time.

“My thing was that you know when you know,” he said. “I had no doubt about it at that time. Again, the ease of conversation and I felt we were on the same wavelength in terms of family responsibilities and all that stuff. That was my way of saying let’s move this along. The other part was just a matter of … I didn’t have time for games. We both were 40 years old, and I wasn’t playing games. It is or it isn’t, you know? Plus, I was concerned about my two sons. It was a matter of let’s move on it.”

The next step was to tell both of their mothers, who they were extremely close with.

“I think how both of us related to our mamas brought us together,” Jo said. “I knew he would be there for me and my mom. He knew that I would be there for him and his mom.”

Jo also had to meet Charles’ mother for the first time. Charles then introduces Jo to his mom and leaves the two to talk.

“I’m just meeting her,” she said. “We’re having a little awkward conversation and she said, ‘Well, you know, I don’t get in my children’s business.’ I said, ‘Yes, ma’am.”

The rest of their family and friends approved of their fast courtship. Charles recalls being on a camping trip and telling his friend that he was contemplating marriage.

“His question to me was how well I knew Jo and if she was the right one,” he said. “I said yes with no hesitation. He was supportive and he was in the wedding.”

When Charles met Jo’s aunt later, she had one question for him.

“She asked if she could see his broom,” Jo recalled. “He said, ‘What broom?’ and she said, “The one you swept her off her feet with.’”

The wedding: The two got married in a simple ceremony at Bailey Tabernacle CME Church in Tuscaloosa.

“I was 40 years old,” she said. “I didn’t want frills. I bought a tea-length dress. My aunt said I had to wear a veil. I found a headpiece that we added a short veil to. It was cute. I didn’t send out invitations.”

However, Jo’s mother invited everyone in town.

Many of Charles’ relatives also came to the wedding. Her two cousins served as her bridesmaids and his brother and friend served as groomsmen.

Jo wore ivory and pink.

She said that her favorite memory was the 12-year-old who caught the bouquet at the reception.

“Later on, she was my student at the Alabama School of Fine Arts,” she said. “Everybody was asking how that little girl got the bouquet.”

Because the two didn’t get to eat at the reception, they stopped at an Olive Garden when they got back to Birmingham.

“It was a line, and somebody from the inside came out and got us,” she said. “They asked if we just got married, they gave us a table and brought us champagne.”

Charles remembers struggling with volume control during the wedding.

“They said I was saying my vows too loud,” he said.

The honeymoon: The two went to Sea Island, Georgia, for their honeymoon, a popular honeymoon destination for U.S. Presidents.

“He didn’t tell me where we were going, he just said pack stuff for the beach,” Jo said.

That’s when Charles found out that his bride was a soap opera fan.

“The first full day, we were getting ready to go to the beach, I thought,” he recalled with a laugh. “She told me she couldn’t leave because ‘The Young and the Restless’ was on TV. She started telling me about Victor, Paul and all of them.”

Words of wisdom: The two said the secret to a long marriage is respect.

“Listen to each other,” Jo said. “Sometimes, and we have done it, you’re not listening to what the other person is saying. You have to consider their feelings and what they’re going through. The first time Charles told me that I shouldn’t feel like that, I told him, ‘You can’t tell me how to feel.’ Let me get in my feelings and get through it, and he learned. He read the book “Men Are From Mars and Women Are From Venus” and said that it’s so true. We’re not always going to be on the same page, but at some point, we’ve got to get on the same page.”

Charles said it’s about teamwork.

“It’s all about partnership,” he said. “You work together. You respect and recognize that, and it makes a difference.”

Happily ever after: The Chambers are parents to Charles’ two sons, who are 50 and 47. They have six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Jo retired from the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) and Charles retired from AT&T.

In this phase of life, they love to travel the world. They’ve been to every continent with the exception of Antarctica.

“I’ve learned that I can play golf, she can do her shopping, and everyone is happy,” Charles said.

“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 editor@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

Birmingham City Council Delays Vote Until June on Data Center Regulations

By
Birmingham Times
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0
The proposed guidelines will not apply to developments with completed permits, including the center to be built by Nebius on Lakeshore Parkway. (Nebius)

The Birmingham Times

Rules for future data center development in Birmingham are still being worked out, as city council members delayed a vote on updates to the city’s zoning ordinance.

After hearing from nearly two dozen concerned citizens during a public hearing on Tuesday, the Birmingham City Council voted unanimously to postpone a decision on new data center regulations. The proposed guidelines were presented by zoning and planning staff during the meeting. Because state law requires 30 days of public notice, the earliest the revised ordinance could be back before the Council for a vote and public hearing will be in June.

During the public hearing, some residents and environmental advocates said they were encouraged by what has been proposed, but members of the business community warned against adopting restrictions that could make it harder for Birmingham to attract future development.

Currently, data center developers can’t apply for permits within the city due to a six-month moratorium enacted by the council on March 3.

The draft regulations define and outline restrictions for four types of data centers: accessory, medium, hyperscale, and micro. The categories are determined mostly by size and electrical use, and each one has its own set of conditions.

Conditions for Hyperscale Data Centers

The draft of proposed regulations includes 19 conditions for hyperscale data centers. A hyperscale data center is defined as “a large data processing facility designed to support high volume computing, storage, and networking capacity” and “occupies more than 200,000 square feet of gross floor area, and/or has an aggregate electrical demand exceeding 30 megawatts.”

In Birmingham and beyond, hyperscale data centers have drawn the most attention because of potential environmental impacts, including water and energy use, noise pollution, and more. A hyperscale data center requires extensive cooling systems, electrical substations, backup power generation and related infrastructure.

The proposed requirements for hyperscale data centers include the following conditions:

  • at least 500-foot separation from residential areas
  • a minimum property size of five acres
  • a ban on illicit discharge into the municipal stormwater system
  • required noise studies before and after construction
  • no on-site power generation, except by solar power (Backup generators can be used within limits during power outages, emergencies, or when required for testing and maintenance.)
  • mandatory closed-loop cooling systems (which recirculate water and minimize the use of potable water for cooling purposes)
  • compliance with specific lighting requirements

Several people who spoke during Tuesday’s meeting, along with Councilor Brian Gunn, called for greater distance between data centers and nearby neighborhoods, possibly increasing the 500-foot setback requirement to at least 1000 feet. Others also urged city officials to revise definitions and strengthen regulations for medium data centers.

The proposed guidelines will not apply to developments with completed permits, including the Nebius project at the former Regions Lakeshore Operations Center site on Lakeshore and the expansion of DC BLOX’s existing facility.

Foot Soldiers’ 63rd Anniversary Celebration Set For Saturday in Birmingham’s Historic 4th Avenue District

By
Birmingham Times
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0
Members from two generations of Foot Soldiers — Not On Our Watch and the Civil Rights Activist Committee — gathered together last year at the historic A.G. Gaston Motel in downtown Birmingham. (File, The Birmingham Times)

Special to The Times

The Civil Rights Activist Committee is hosting the Foot Soldiers’ 63rd anniversary celebration from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, in Birmingham’s Historic 4th Avenue District.

This year’s theme, “Honoring the Legacy – Uniting the Neighborhoods – Inspiring the Nation,” commemorates the 63rd anniversary of the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement of 1963, including the historic Children’s March. This celebration honors the courageous young people who marched for justice and changed the course of American history.

The celebration will feature:

  • Main Stage Program with tributes to Foot Soldiers, musical performances, and guest speakers
  • Community Unity Village with booths representing Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods
  • Youth Legacy Zone featuring student exhibits, art, and storytelling projects
  • Evening Candlelight Tribute and Unity Walk symbolizing reflection, peace, and ongoing progress

This event seeks to provide a powerful, living-history educational experience for students of all ages, giving them the opportunity to stand in the footsteps of the original Foot Soldiers. It is an opportunity to connect classroom learning about the Civil Rights Movement with the very ground where history was made — and to meet the Foot Soldiers who made it.

Young Civil Rights demonstrators speaking at a press conference at the A.G. Gaston Motel during the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama. (Alabama Department of Archives and History. Donated by Alabama Media Group. Photo by Norman Dean)

The Birmingham campaign, also known as the Birmingham movement or Birmingham confrontation, was an American movement organized in early 1963 by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to bring attention to the integration efforts of African Americans in Birmingham.

Led by Martin Luther King Jr., James Bevel, Fred Shuttlesworth and others, the campaign of nonviolent direct action culminated in the 1963 Children’s Crusade, widely publicized confrontations between young Black students marching peacefully to City Hall to talk to the Mayor and white civic authorities, who stopped them with force, dogs, and fire hoses.

These events led the municipal government to change the city’s discrimination laws and the federal government to begin the process of drafting the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

For general event information, please contact the Civil Rights Activist Committee at (205) 518-0321 or email info@cracfs.org.

Speak Loud, Win Big: $500 on the Line at BPL’s Bards & Brews Poetry Slam on May 1

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Birmingham Times
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Birmingham Public Library's Bards & Brews Poetry Slam is happening Friday, May 1 at the Central Library downtown. (BPL)

By Roy L. Williams | Birmingham Public Library

Birmingham Public Library (BPL) invites the community to experience some of the metro area’s top spoken word artists competing for a combined $500 in a Bards & Brews Poetry Slam happening Friday, May 1 at the Central Library downtown.

This will be the second slam of the year hosted by Bards & Brews, BPL’s high-energy monthly spoken word poetry series where poets express their voices on stage.

Ten poets will go head-to-head in a fast-paced, three-round poetry slam. First place wins a $250 check, second place $150 and third place $100. With audience members serving as judges, every performance counts and getting the crowd on your side matters. Thed Weller will serve as host.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with live music by saxophonist Saxual Healer beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by the poetry slam. The competition is limited to the first 10 poets who register on-site and pay the $5 entry fee.

Admission is free and open to the public; you must be 18 or older to enter and 21 or older to drink beer samples. Yellowhammer Brewing will serve as the beer sponsor for the evening.

Now in its 16th year, Bards & Brews continues to be one of the library’s most popular programs. Bards & Brews is supported by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, presented to the Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library.

What:  Bards & Brews Poetry Slam
When: Friday, May 1, 2026 | 6:30–8:30 p.m. (Poet registration begins at 6:00 p.m.)
Where: Birmingham Public Library’s Central Location,
2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203
Host: Thed Weller
Live Music: Saxual Healer
Beer Sponsor: Yellowhammer Brewing

About: Bards & Brews, Birmingham Public Library’s monthly spoken word series, is supported by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, presented through the Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library.

Admission: Free (18+ to enter; 21+ to receive beer samples)

Poet Entry Fee: $5 | Limited to first 10 poets

For more information, click here https://bplolinenews.blogspot.com/2026/04/speak-loud-win-big-500-on-line-at-bards.html

Birmingham Expands Community Violence Prevention Efforts with $200,000 in Local Micro-Grants

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Birmingham Times
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Local educators, nonprofit leaders and city leaders joined Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin as the City of Birmingham unveiled a new round of investments aimed at deepening its commitment to community-driven violence prevention. (City of Birmingham)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

“Today we take that success further by investing directly in the people and organizations doing the most critical work on the ground,” said Mayor Randall Woodfin as he stood before community leaders at City Hall on Monday morning. “These groups are in our streets, connected to our community, and best positioned to address the realities our young people face every day.”

With that announcement, the City of Birmingham unveiled a new round of investments aimed at deepening its commitment to community-driven violence prevention. A total of $200,000 in micro-grants will be distributed to 14 local organizations working on the frontlines of youth intervention and family stabilization. The funding comes through the 2023 U.S. Department of Justice Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI).

The micro-grants are designed to strengthen services connected to the RESTORE program — short for Reduce, Educate, Support, Train, Organize, Realize, Empower — operated by the Jefferson County Family Resource Center. RESTORE focuses on addressing systemic challenges faced by families involved in Family Court, particularly those with at-risk youth between the ages of 11 and 19.

City leaders say the initiative reflects a broader understanding that reducing violence requires more than traditional law enforcement.

“We can all agree that it’s more than policing and more than arrest,” Woodfin said, emphasizing the importance of prevention and intervention strategies rooted in community trust.

The funding will support a wide range of services proven to reduce violence and improve outcomes for young people. These include mentorship programs, workforce readiness training, educational support, life coaching, and family stabilization resources — often referred to as “wraparound services” because of their comprehensive, holistic approach.

The Solution Solvers

Councilwoman LaTonya Tate, who serves as president pro tem and chairs the Public Safety Committee, highlighted the significance of directing resources to grassroots organizations.

“Those closest to the problem are the solution solvers, but often furthest from the resources,” Tate said. “Today shows what can happen when we work together to change that.”

Among the 14 recipients are organizations long embedded in Birmingham neighborhoods. Groups like Anitra’s Light and What About Us focus on mentorship, healing, and support for families impacted by violence, while BuildUP in partnership with Tactical Community Action provides hands-on construction training and career pathways. Others, such as Be Kind Birmingham and Grace Klein Community, offer mobile outreach and essential resource connections to underserved families.

Councilwoman LaTonya Tate, who serves as president pro tem and chairs the Public Safety Committee, highlighted the significance of directing resources to grassroots organizations. (City of Birmingham)

Programs also emphasize creative and nontraditional approaches to intervention. Inspire Justice uses storytelling and media production to amplify youth voices, while Our Community Bridge incorporates arts-based, trauma-informed healing. Meanwhile, Youth Towers and Rebirth Community Corporation focus on housing stability and reentry support for justice-involved youth.

The impact of efforts like RESTORE is already evident. During the press conference announcing the grants, Judge Kechia Davis Hunt noted significant declines in youth violence since the program’s implementation, including an 85% reduction in youth charged with murder and a 71% drop in youth homicide victims within the targeted age range.

“These outcomes show that intervention works,” Hunt said. “But RESTORE cannot do it alone. These partnerships are essential.”

Leaders at the Family Resource Center echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that collaboration across organizations is what makes community violence intervention effective. Many of the grant recipients have operated for years with limited funding, often relying on volunteers and small donations to sustain their work.

For those organizations, the micro-grants represent more than financial support — they signal recognition.

“They’ve been showing up for our communities long before this moment,” Woodfin said. “Now it’s our turn to pour back into them.”

As Birmingham continues to build on recent reductions in violent crime, officials say investments like these will remain central to the city’s strategy. By empowering trusted community partners, the city hopes not only to prevent violence, but also to create lasting pathways to opportunity for its youth.

“This is what it looks like when a village comes together,” Tate said. “And the work is far from over.” 

For more information about the RESTORE program and the City’s violence prevention efforts, visit www.birminghamal.gov/csi. 

Local educators and nonprofit leaders joined Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. (City of Birmingham)

Coreata Houser: The ‘Solutions Architect’ for Business in Birmingham

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Birmingham Times
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Coreata Houser is the director of the City of Birmingham’s Department of Innovation & Economic Opportunity (IEO). (Provided)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | The Birmingham Times

Coreata Houser believes all his past experiences — both professional and personal — have prepared him for his current role as director of the City of Birmingham’s Department of Innovation & Economic Opportunity (IEO).

“This is the only job where every single experience I’ve had in life, the good and the bad, has come together to really build a foundation for me to stand in the space that I’m standing in today,” Houser told the Birmingham Times.

In this role, which he’s held since November 2025, Houser helps to power the city’s economic engine by overseeing workforce development, real estate management, economic data intelligence and more. One of Houser’s most cherished responsibilities is helping build local businesses.

“Small businesses need to be successful in order for Birmingham to grow,” he said. While he and the IEO team work year-round to help local entrepreneurs, they are currently extra busy preparing for Birmingham Small Business Week, set for May 3-9.

Centered on the theme “Build Big: Elevate Your Vision. Empower Your Journey,” Birmingham Small Business Week is for local business owners at every stage and seeks to connect entrepreneurs to the resources, relationships, and opportunities needed to grow and scale.

“This is time for small business owners to invest in themselves, to get the resources and education needed to go to that next level,” Houser said. He and his team hope to connect with 500 to 600 local businesses throughout the week.

The Solutions Architect

Before his current role, Houser served in other positions with the city and its Department of Innovation & Economic Opportunity. He’s also worked with tech startups and at McWane Science Center. Though each job was different, they all had one thing in common.

“Throughout my entire career, I was always the one who was the solutions architect,” he said.

When working for startups, he managed the client relationship team, solving problems to keep customers happy. At McWane, he managed the visitor experience.

Houser began his career with the City of Birmingham during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That gave me the opportunity to jump straight into solutions because everything we had known about economic development was out the door,” he said.

Turning Pain into Purpose

Coreata Houser began his career with the City of Birmingham during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Provided)

Though born and raised in Sylacauga, Houser had family in Birmingham and would visit the city often during the summer and for major events such as the Magic City Classic. After graduating from Tuskegee University in 2009 with a degree in biology, Houser eventually made his way to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to study Information Engineering and Management, a concentration that combined his love for science and business.

“I’d always had a business mindset,” he said. He was specifically interested in operations, always eager to learn how to make systems work well.

Houser believes this stems from his younger years when tragedy forced him to figure out much of life on his own.

“I lost my dad at 15, and I lost my mom at 17,” he shared. “Losing your parents that early, you immediately have to go into solutions mode because you don’t have mom and dad to call. I have older siblings, but that parental figure was missing.”

Houser, however, turned his grief and pain into passion and purpose.

“That really started this sort of drive for me, that whatever I could do to help somebody who looks like me or who may be in the same situation, I want to do that,” he said.

A Calling and Responsibility

Other experiences would only deepen Houser’s drive to help others. After college, he worked in the court system and court referral programs.

“It was really an eye-opener for me,” he said. That experience showed him how nuanced solutions needed to be if he wanted to help people better their lives. He saw that a simple program won’t get the job done.

“You’ve got to really roll your sleeves up and change communities in multiple ways,” he said.

This thought was confirmed later when he volunteered with a program through More Than Conquerors Faith Church in Birmingham for youth living in public housing.

“It became more than a program,” he said. “I realized this is my calling. This is my responsibility.”

And this work once again showed him the need for a well-rounded approach when addressing a community’s needs.

“If I’m hungry, if I don’t have water, if I don’t have utilities, I don’t care what program you bring,” he said.

The Big Impact of Small Business

Houser believes that small businesses help address those community needs — and not just by offering people jobs.

“Small businesses are the ones who are giving to the PTOs and the Boys and Girls Club,” he said. “They’re sponsoring baseball bats and a Little League soccer game.”

And as small businesses pour into Birmingham communities, Houser and the IEO team help the City of Birmingham pour back into those small businesses — in part, through Birmingham Small Business Week.

“We really take time to be intentional about the programming,” Houser said. In addition to workshops and networking events aimed at helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses, Small Business Week will also include wellness events, a full day of workshops for nonprofits, and much more.

“This is your city,” Houser said to small business owners. “And this is the City of Birmingham, saying, ‘We see you, and we value you.’”

The full event schedule for Birmingham Small Business Week is available at ieo.birminghamal.gov/bhmup.

Under the Big Top: A Celebration of Culture and Community Arrives in Birmingham

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Birmingham Times
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UniverSoul Circus made a stop at Booker T. Washington K-8 School, where students and staff welcomed performers with enthusiasm. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

Story and Photos by Marika N. Johnson | For the Birmingham Times

For more than three decades, the UniverSoul Circus has brought a different kind of spectacle beneath the big top — one that blends world-class circus entertainment with the rhythms, traditions and cultural expressions of communities often underrepresented in mainstream circus productions.

The traveling production concluded its Birmingham tour stop on April 26, continuing its legacy of combining acrobatics, dance, music, and audience participation into an experience that reflects the diversity of the audiences who fill its seats.

Founded in 1994 by concert and theater promoter Cedric Walker, UniverSoul Circus was created with a vision of building a live entertainment experience rooted in multiculturalism, centered on Black audiences and performers. At a time when traditional circuses rarely reflected the faces or cultural traditions of many American families, UniverSoul introduced something fresh: a high-energy production where hip-hop, gospel, R&B, Afrobeat and Caribbean influences could exist alongside tightrope walkers, contortionists and aerial stunts.

Over the years, performers from across the globe, including artists from African nations, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe, have shared the spotlight in productions that celebrate both cultural individuality and collective artistry. Audiences are not treated as passive spectators. Instead, they become part of the show through dancing, singing and call-and-response interactions that mirror traditions deeply rooted in Black cultural expression.

In cities like Birmingham, where Black culture has long shaped community identity, the significance of that representation resonates deeply.

UniverSoul Circus entertained students and faculty at Booker T. Washington K-8 School. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

For many families attending the circus, seeing Black ringmasters, dancers and performers commanding the stage offers children an opportunity to see themselves reflected in spaces historically dominated by others. Representation in entertainment matters not only because it broadens visibility, but because it affirms that talent, creativity and excellence exist across cultures.

At the same time, UniverSoul Circus also serves as a reminder of the power of cultural exchange. Audiences witness performances inspired by traditions from around the world while recognizing the ways music, movement and storytelling connect people across backgrounds.

That mission feels especially meaningful in Birmingham — a city whose history is deeply connected to the fight for equality and the continued celebration of Black culture and achievement. Beyond the performances under the big top, UniverSoul Circus also works to engage directly with the local community. Through events such as Rock City Church Night, City of Birmingham Night and visits to local schools, the circus continues to build excitement and create meaningful connections throughout the city. One of those visits included a stop at Booker T. Washington K-8 School, where students and staff welcomed performers with enthusiasm.

“It was an honor to have the UniverSoul Circus at Booker T. Washington K-8,” said Dr. Antonia G. Ishman, principal of the school. “The excitement that the UniverSoul Circus generated during their visit was amazing. The students found the experience to be a lot of fun. It was a great finale to our state ACAP testing, and we are so thankful for the organizers and artists who put smiles on our kids’ faces.”

As families gather under the bright lights of the tent, the experience becomes about more than daring stunts and laughter. It becomes a shared moment of joy, visibility and cultural pride.

For many in attendance, the circus represents something larger than entertainment. It is a space where communities come together and young people can dream a little bigger after seeing performers who look like them soar high above the crowd.

Former Players Sharpe and Saxton Lead Fairfield’s Football, Girls Basketball Programs

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Birmingham Times
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Fairfield High Preparatory School Football Coach Rex Sharpe is an alumni of the school. (Solomon Crenshaw Jr., Provided)

By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | For the Birmingham Times

When young sports fans of Fairfield High Preparatory School talk about the good old days, they might only think about the beginning of boys basketball success under coach Maurice Ford. But Jazmine Saxton and Rex Sharpe know better.

They are former Fairfield Tiger athletes who experienced success in their playing days. They — Saxton as the girls basketball coach and Sharpe preparing for his first season leading the Fairfield football team — have returned to their alma mater with plans to duplicate the recent success of boys basketball.

Saxton had a similar view from the mountaintop as Ford’s hoops squad. Her Tigers won the 2010 Class 5A championship and she was instrumental in her team scaling that height.

“It was special because the previous year we fell short in the Elite Eight,” she said. “I remember doing an interview — I can’t remember who I did the interview with — but I told them we will be back, and we ended up coming back, ended up making it to the Elite Eight and then I hit a game-winning shot to send us to the Final Four.”

Girls Basketball Coach Jazmine Saxton is a graduate of the school. (Solomon Crenshaw Jr., Provided)

A March 2010 story on AL.com told of Saxton’s repeated heroics in the Northwest Regional tournament. She hit a pair of free throws to lift Fairfield to a 47-45 victory over Hartselle in the semifinal and then knocked down a buzzer-beating bank shot 3-pointer in a 46-45 win over Russellville in the final.

The point guard, who was The Birmingham News’ West Area Player of the Year in 2010, also nailed a 3-pointer with 2:17 left to give Fairfield a lead over Carver-Montgomery it would not relinquish in the championship game.

“It was just a great feeling to be able to bring it back to Fairfield,” Saxton said. “I know what Fairfield girls basketball program has been; it’s been a winning program. It (had) great teams before then. To be able to bring it back and finish what everybody else couldn’t finish was a great feeling.”

“It felt like family”

Sharpe, who was in Fairfield’s Class of 2005, said the biggest thing that his Tigers had in his playing days was family.

“It felt like family,” he said. “We all — from ninth grade to 12th grade — we all got along. I think that was the biggest thing.”

Fairfield football didn’t reach the summit when Sharpe suited up as a linebacker, wide receiver and occasional kicker. But they got better.

“When we turned it around here, we went from 0-10 to third round playoffs by the time I was a senior,” he said. “It was great.”

The football coach said it’s important to him that he can relate to playing for Fairfield.

“I’m someone they can see themselves in,” he said. “I walked the same halls, I walked the same streets, I played on the same field and sat in the same desks. It’s very important because now they can see someone that’s from here actually can make it, can come back and give back.”

Sharpe said he’s encouraged by the love and the commitment of the city.

“It is still here. It doesn’t seem like it, but it’s still here,” he said. “That is my goal, to bring it back out. That’s why I want all the city involvement, from community to the board to City Hall. I want everybody to feel welcome. It’s an open-door policy for me. Anybody want to come visit, talk, sit down, I welcome you. I want everybody to feel like it’s home.”

The current Fairfield girls basketball coach said it’s not just about winning for her. She wants to impact her players the way her coach — former Fairfield point guard Tiffany Frederick — impacted her.

“Yes, I want to win,” Saxton said. “I hate losing but I just wanted to make sure that at least I got the program back into structure and at least get it to where these girls are learning and getting better. I understand that it’s not just about basketball. It’s bigger than basketball. It’s teaching life lessons through basketball.”

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