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Non-Profit Launched at Miles College to Gather ‘Brightest Minds’ for National Mentoring Initiative

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Kennedi Lowe, a student at Florida A&M University, was at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to discuss a new entrepreneurship initiative from the Birmingham-based 2150 Center for Innovation, Commercialization & Growth. (Contributed)

A Birmingham-based non-profit organization is gathering college entrepreneurs from several institutions to launch a national mentorship initiative.

Leaders with the 2150 Center for Innovation, Commercialization & Growth gathered recently at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to announce its Public Policy iLab.

The 2150 Center was launched by Miles College last year as a business and innovation collaborative designed to expand to institutions around the country. Miles is a private liberal arts college in Fairfield, just west of Birmingham.

“This iLab model convenes and curates the best and brightest minds to problem solve and build businesses,” said Erskine “Chuck” Faush, CEO of the 2150 Center.

The new iLab initiative includes students from Miles College, Florida A&M University, Johnson C. Smith University and Jackson State University. The goal is to engage institutions, students and professionals in the latest innovation to encourage entrepreneurship.

The goal is to make mentorship more scalable, personalized, and accessible across campuses.

The 2150 Center is also partnering with the mentorship initiative MentorPro, a mobile-first technology platform that connects students and early entrepreneurs with real-time, interest-aligned seasoned mentors.

“With these amazing institutions and through partnership with MentorPro, we’re creating a framework where students can engage directly with leaders, build relationships, and help design the systems they want to champion,” said Miles College Provost Tonya Perry.

Ultimately, the iLab initiative seeks to grow innovation through mentorship, collaboration and pairing entrepreneurs with resources and investors.

Organizers said additional iLabs are planned to focus on manufacturing, artificial intelligence, health and energy sectors.

Community Food Bank of Central Alabama Providing Free Meals, Snacks to Children This Summer

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Over the summer, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama is providing free, prepared meals and snacks to children 18 and under. (Adobe Stock)

Through its Child Hunger initiatives, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama is providing free, prepared meals and snacks to children 18 and under.

In addition to snacks and meals, the food bank says it will offer food box distributions to families with children across central Alabama.

With school out for summer, that means no lunch for thousands of children in our community.

“In central Alabama, one in five children faces food insecurity,” said Nicole Williams, CEO of the Community Food Bank. “We want to ensure children have access to the meals they need and every child is nourished and thriving.”

  • Summer Meals – Serves prepared lunches and snacks directly to children.
  • Food Box distributions – Families will receive a food box, snack packs, fresh produce, and a frozen protein.

A complete list of sites, times of operation, and closures can be found at the Community Food Bank website.

The Food Bank says prepared meals will be provided, Monday through Friday, beginning in June, offering children the nourishment they need to grow, play, and enjoy the season.

Food box distributions will run from June through August. Holiday closures will affect some days of service. Parents or guardians are encouraged to call sites in advance to confirm availability.

In addition to summer meals, families can access free groceries at distributions happening daily across the region. A complete list of food distributions is available at this website.

Owners of Norwood Apartments to Relocate Residents, Demolish Complex after Lawsuit Filed by Birmingham

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The City of Birmingham filed a lawsuit against Norwood Plaza Apartments, LLC. (File) 

birminghamal.gov/

A lawsuit filed by the City of Birmingham has led to a settlement with the owners of Norwood Plaza Apartments to demolish the complex. The action comes after years of repeated, documented drug activity, illegal behavior, and threats to public safety centered around the apartment complex located at 1717 32nd Place North in the Norwood neighborhood.

The settlement follows a lawsuit filed last week by the Office of the City Attorney’s Drug Nuisance Abatement Team (DNAT). Under the agreement reached in court Wednesday, the management company will take the next 90 days to relocate all current tenants.

Once the relocation of residents, the property will be demolished at the owner’s expense before January 1, 2026. The planned demolition will take place in phases. The owners have agreed to provide monthly progress reports of demolition efforts.

“This settlement is a win for residents in Norwood and a clear message to owners of other nuisance properties,” City Attorney Nicole King said. “DNAT in the Office of the City Attorney is dedicated to addressing problem properties that create public safety concerns for neighborhoods. The city is thankful to the residents who contacted DNAT and supported us in court.”

A week ago, a similar DNAT lawsuit led to the demolition of a blighted apartment complex in the Five Points West community. Crews representing the owner of The Vue on Prince at 3128 Prince Avenue handled the demolition of the burned out, vacant buildings with no expense to the city.

City Attorney King created DNAT in 2020, The team holds landowners accountable for keeping their properties clean and free of crime and blight. The team has successfully prevailed in multiple lawsuits and worked with property owners to generate a safer environment for the residents both in those properties and the surrounding neighborhoods. The city’s DNAT strategy has served as a model for other municipalities.

To report a nuisance property, contact the Office of the City Attorney at problemproperty@birminghamal.gov or (205) 254-6450, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

May 29, 2025

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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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MERCHANDISE

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EMPLOYMENT

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Dog Park Attendant Part time

 

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

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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Seeking Plant Manager

Plant Manager – McCalla, AL. Req’d: Bach’s deg. in Mgmt. or Bus. Admin. & 2 yrs. managerial or supervisory exp. in plant mgmt. in the steel mfg. industry. Mail resumes to: POSCO AAPC, LLC, 6500 Jefferson Metro Pkwy, McCalla, AL 35111

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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Seeking Manager

Safety and Maintenance Operations Manager – McCalla, AL. Req’d: Bach’s deg. in any major & 2 yrs. managerial exp. in safety mgmt. Mail resumes to: POSCO AAPC, LLC, 6500 Jefferson Metro Pkwy, McCalla, AL 35111

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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_Seeking Senior Maintenance Manager

 

Senior Maintenance Engineer – McCalla, AL. Req’d: Master’s deg. in Mechanical, Mechatronics, or Electrical Eng. Mail resumes to: POSCO AAPC, LLC, 6500 Jefferson Metro Pkwy, McCalla, AL 35111

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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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, Info Sys, or clsly rltd fld + 3 yrs exp in sw dev or rltd occup. Telecommuting is an option. To apply, email resume w/ job title in subject to careers@bcbsal.org.

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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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, Info Sys, or a clsly rltd fld + 3 yrs exp in IT or a rltd occup. Altrntvly will accept 5 yrs exp in prgm or rltd occup. Telecommuting is an option. To apply, email resume w/ job title in subject to careers@bcbsal.org.

BT5/29/2025

 

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SENIOR DATA SCIENTIST

Shipt, Inc. seeks a full-time Senior Data Scientist. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. HQ at Birmingham, AL. Primary duty is to apply advanced Machine Learning techniques to enhance and evaluate the impact of both new and existing systems for AI- powered search and personalization systems to enhance the customer shopping journey. This position requires a master’s degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Mathematics, or a related field and two (2) years of related experience in the Machine learning (ML) branch of artificial intelligence (AI). Must also have two (2) years of experience with each of the following: 1) Search in e-commerce (i.e Factorization to Deep Learning). 2) Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) and awareness of the latest trends in Large Language Models and Deep Learning and its usage in building Query Understanding. 3) Python programming language; Git version control system; and Airflow open-source platform. 4) Deployment of models to production via FastAPI and gRPC. All experience may be gained concurrently and may have been gained before, during or after completion of the Master’s degree program. Salary: $121,487 to $219,000/year. Please go to our website for benefits information and to apply: https://www.shipt.com/careers/ or apply by email at careers@shipt.com.

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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LEGAL

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901355.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      M & R PROPERTIES, INC.; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF R. CARMON JOHNSON; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

TAKE NOTICE that on April 9, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       802 40th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35222

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      01-23-00-19-4-006-009.000

 

Legal Description:      Lot 1A East Birmingham Resurvey Lots 1, 2, 3, 4 Blk 6, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2024106776 as follows: LOT 1 A BLK 6 EAST BHAM RESUR LOTS 1 THRU 4 BLK 6)

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 21, 2025, in Room 360, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901357.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      EARLEAN MERKERSON a/k/a EARLENE MERKERSON and unknown heirs of EARLENE MERKERSON; ANGENETTE WHITTAKER a/k/a ANGENETTE WHITAKER, OLIVER MERKERSON, III, and CAROLYN M. JACKSON a/k/a CAROLYN M. MERKERSON, as heirs of EARLENE MERKERSON; VIKING INVESTMENTS, LLC; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

TAKE NOTICE that on April 9, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       100 15th Court North, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      01-22-00-27-1-017-005.000

 

Legal Description:      Lot 7 in Block 11, according to the survey of Melville Court, as recorded in Map Book 16, Page 28, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2017074297 as follows: LOT 7 BLK 11 MELVILLE COURT)

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 21, 2025, in Room 360, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901361.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      WILLIE LAWRENCE HENDERSON and RILEY HENDERSON, III, as heirs of WILLIE HENDERSON and AMIE HENDERSON; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF WILLIE HENDERSON; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF AMIE HENDERSON; C M R REALTY COMPANY, INC.; DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; U.S. ATTORNEY FOR NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA; STATE OF ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

TAKE NOTICE that on April 9, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       1127 4th Place North, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      01-22-00-26-3-024-003.000

 

Legal Description:      The North 50 feet of Lot 1, in Block 6, according to the Survey of McDaniel Property as recorded in Map Book 3, Page 11, in the Probate Office of Jefferson County, Alabama, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2017095417 as follows: N 50 FT OF LOT 1 BLK 6 MCDANIELS SUR)

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 21, 2025, in Room 360, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901432.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      RODERICK KELLEY; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF ELIZABETH KELLEY; GARFIELD FAULK; ASHLEY JOHNSON; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

 

 

 

TAKE NOTICE that on April 14, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       405 12th Avenue West, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      01-22-00-27-3-013-002.000

 

Legal Description:      The North 80 feet of Lot 2, Block 6, according to the survey of Spaulding, as recorded in Map Book 1, Page 261, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2017097415 as follows: N 80 FT LOT 2 BLK 6 SPAULDING)

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 21, 2025, in Room 360, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

 

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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CASE NO. CV-2024-902152.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      MICHAEL L. SMITH; MIDLAND FUNDING LLC, CAPITAL ONE BANK (USA) DISCOVER BANK, STATE OF ALABAMA, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICES, SPRINGLEAF FINANCIAL SERVICES OF ALABAMA, WORLD, OMNI FINANCIAL CORPORATION, FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OHAMA, US PIPE BESSEMER EMPLOYEES, 1ST FRANKLIN FINANCIAL, LVNV FUNDING LLC, JEFFERSON CAPITAL SYSTEMS LLCL ONEMAIN FINANCIAL GROUP LLC, J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

TAKE NOTICE that on May 28, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       208 62nd Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35212

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      23 00 22 2 036 012.000

 

Legal Description:      COMMENCE AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF LOT 1, IN W.F. FULTON’S SURVEY AS RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 3, OAGE 27, WHICH CORNER IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF ELIZABETH STREET AND THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BLOUNTSVILLE ROAD, GO SOUTH 41 DEGREES EAST ALONG THE CENTER OF SAID ELIZABETH STREET 436.4 FEET FOR THE POINT OF BEGINNING, THENCE SOUTH 49 DEGREES WEST PARALLEL WITH THE BLOUNSVILLE ROAD 167 FEET, THENCE SOUTH 41 DEGREES EAST 47 FEET, THENCE NORTH 49 EAST 167 FEET, THENCE BIRTG 41 DEGREES WEST 47 FEET TO POINT OF BEGINNING. LESS AND EXCEPT THAT PART SOLD TO THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM BY DEED DATED APRIL 4, 1942 AND RECORDED IN VOLUME 3329 PAGE 320. AALSO KNWON AS: POB 275S FT NW OF NW INTER 3RD AVE S & 62ND ST S TH NW 50S FT ALG 62ND ST S TH SW 150S FT TO ALLEY TH SE 50S FT TH NE 150S FT TI OI B BEING PT ANDREW BEARD SUR SEC 22 TSP 17S RABGE 2W.

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 1, 2025, in Room 670, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 11:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Attorney _Angeline Jackson Sperling, at (205) 868-30160.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901612.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      FRANCES C. VINSON, DAVID T. VINSON, LETHEIA VINSON BUTLER, BRITTANY REYNOLDS a/k/a BRITTNEY SEVILLE REYNOLDS, NATASHA REYNOLDS, as heirs of DAVE VINSON, PASTORAH VINSON BLANTON, and WILLIAM BLANTON; H R METALS, INC.; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

TAKE NOTICE that on April 23, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       222 11th Court West, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      01-22-00-27-3-015-006.000

 

Legal Description:      The W ½ of lot 10 in blk 4 acdg to the Walker Land Company’s plan and sur known as Spaulding a map of which is recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of JCA in map bk 1 pg 261 sd lot fronting 25 ft on the N line of Cornelia Ave as shown by sd map and running back 200 ft of that unfm width to an alley sit in JCA AND E ½ of lot 10 in blk 4 Spaulding’s Sur to Birmingham a map of which sur is recorded in the Office of the Probate Judge of JCA, in map bk 1 at pg 261, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2022101002 as follows: LOT 10 BLK 4 SPAULDING)

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 17, 2025, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901613.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      CHARLES MARTIN; THE GUARDIAN COMPANY, L.L.C.; SOUTHERN REALTY AND INVESTMENT COMPANY; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

TAKE NOTICE that on April 23, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       1110 3rd Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      01-22-00-27-3-017-012.000

 

Legal Description:      Lot 10B of a re-survey of Lot 10, Block 16, Map of Spalding, as recorded in Map Book 56, Page 68, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2017074306 as follows: LOT 10-B SPAULDING RESUR OF LOT 10 BLK 16 EXC PT IN H/W)

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 21, 2025, in Room 360, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

CASE NO. CV-2025-901718.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      BAMA LTD., INC. f/k/a BAMA LTD.; RESIDENTIAL FUNDING CORPORATION; PR LEASING COMPANY, INC.; FERRIS S. RITCHEY, III and ANNE RITCHEY OWENS, as Co-Executors of the Estate of FERRIS S. RITCHEY, JR.; RBC BANK (USA), as successor to NATIONAL BANK OF COMMERCE OF BIRMINGHAM; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

TAKE NOTICE that on April 30, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       1137 Bankhead Highway North, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      01-22-00-27-4-040-001.000

 

Legal Description:      Lot 1, according to the Resurvey of North Smithfield, as recorded in Map Book 14, Page 13, of the Probate Office of Jefferson County, Alabama, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2017074308 as follows: LOT 1 RESUBD OF A PORTION OF NO SMITHFIELD & ADJOINING PROPERTY)

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for August 4, 2025, in Room 360, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

CASE NO. CV-2025-901717.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      PR LEASING COMPANY, INC.; FERRIS S. RITCHEY, III and ANNE RITCHEY OWENS, as Co-Executors of the Estate of FERRIS S. RITCHEY, JR.; RBC BANK (USA), as successor to NATIONAL BANK OF COMMERCE OF BIRMINGHAM; CITIZENS FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

TAKE NOTICE that on April 30, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       212 11th Court North, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      01-22-00-27-4-040-004.000

 

Legal Description:      Lot 4, according to the Resurvey of North Smithfield, as recorded in Map Book 14, Page 13, of the Probate Office of Jefferson County, Alabama, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2017043901 as follows: LOT 4 RE SUBD OF A PORTION OF NO SMITHFIELD & ADJOINING PROPERTY)

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 17, 2025, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

CASE NO. CV-2025-901762.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:      ALABAMA STATE FAIR AUTHORITY; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

TAKE NOTICE that on May 2, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint, and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Property Address:       2620 21st Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35234

 

Tax Parcel ID No.:      01-22-00-24-3-027-011.000

 

Legal Description:      Part of Lot 2, in Block 15, according to the Survey of Haskell & Muller’s Plat, as recorded in Map Book 1, Page 357, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, more particularly described as beginning on the North line of 21st Avenue at a point of 225 feet East of the Easterly line of 26th Street; thence East along said 21st Avenue for a distance of 50 feet; run thence Northwestwardly and parallel with the Easterly line of 26th Street for a distance of 140 feet to an alley; run thence Southwest along said alley for a distance of 50 feet; run thence Southeastwardly and parallel with Easterly line of 26th Street for 140 feet to a point of beginning, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2016085176 as follows: W 50 FT OF E 175 FT OF LOT 2 BLK 15 HASKELL & MULLER)

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 17, 2025, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this cause before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

CASE NO. CV-2025-901484

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO:     ESTATE OF RUSSELL M. BANKS, JR.; ESTATE OF MARGARET ANN BANKS; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; AND JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA, and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

 

TAKE NOTICE that on April 15, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Lot 6, in Block 11, according to the map of Druid Hills of the Sudduth Realty Company’s Sixth Addition, recorded in Map Book 14, Page 3, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama.

 

It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument Number 2019111374 as follows:  LOT 6 BLK 11 DRUID HILLS

 

and assigned Parcel ID No. 22-00-26-1-015-023.000

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 17, 2025, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 a.m. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St, Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Jake A. Kiser at (205) 918-5037.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this case before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

CASE NO. CV-2025-901247

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

 

TO:     THOMAS DOUGLAS; ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE; AMERICA’S FIRST FEDERAL CREDIT UNION; PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES, LLC; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; AND JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA, and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

 

TAKE NOTICE that on April 1, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Lot 2, in Block 14, according to Sudduth Realty Company’s Sixth Addition to Birmingham, known as Druid Hills, as recorded in Map Book 14, at Page 3, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama.

 

It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument Number 2019111414 as follows: LOT 2 BLK 14 1ST ADD TO DRUID HILLS

 

and assigned Parcel ID No. 22-00-26-1-004-016.000

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 17, 2025, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 a.m. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St, Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Jake A. Kiser at (205) 918-5037.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this case before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

CASE NO. CV-2025-901494

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

 

TO:     QUATTRO PROPERTIES, LLC; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; AND JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA, and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

 

TAKE NOTICE that on April 16, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Lot 10, Block 4, according to the survey of First Addition to Druid Hills, being the Sudduth Realty Company’s 7th Addition to Birmingham, as recorded in Map Book 14, Page 53, in the Probate Office of Jefferson County, Alabama.

 

It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument Number 2019111595 as follows: LOT 10 BLK 4 1ST ADD TO DRUID HILLS

 

and assigned Parcel ID No. 22-00-26-1-011-001.000

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 17, 2025, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 a.m. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St, Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Jake A. Kiser at (205) 918-5037.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this case before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

CASE NO. CV-2025-901497

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

 

TO:     VETERAN MARKETING LLC; CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; AND JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA, and any and all other unknown heirs, claimants or interested parties claiming any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate described herein,

 

TAKE NOTICE that on April 16, 2025, the Birmingham Land Bank Authority filed the above-styled Complaint and the Land Bank asserts that it has recorded notice of a pending quiet title and foreclosure action in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama concerning the rights and/or interests in the following real property:

 

Lot 37, in Block 9, according to the survey of Druid Hills, as recorded in Map Book 14, Page 3, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama.

 

It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument Number 2019111629 as follows:  LOT 37 BLK 9 DRUID HILLS

 

and assigned Parcel ID No. 22-00-26-1-003-018.000

 

ANY PERSON WITH A PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ABOVE PROPERTY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THEY MAY LOSE SUCH INTEREST, IF ANY, AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED QUIET TITLE AND FORECLOSURE ACTION. The final hearing on this quiet title and foreclosure action is hereby set for July 17, 2025, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 10:00 a.m. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

 

The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 North 20th St, Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Jake A. Kiser at (205) 918-5037.

 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED by the undersigned Clerk of Court that publication of this notice be made once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Birmingham Times, a newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Alabama, and that all persons to whom this notice is addressed and any and all persons claiming any title to, interest in, or lien or encumbrance on the above-described land or any part thereof are hereby directed to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint in this case before the hearing date or a judgment by default may be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA

CASE NO. [CV-2025-901814.00]

 

IN RE: The Quiet Title of the Property Located at [2908 Dawson Avenue SW Birmingham, AL 35211]

 

To: All parties claiming an interest in the property described above:

Notice is hereby given that [Anthony and Rashun Bennett], has filed a complaint to quiet title on the above-described property in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama. Any person claiming an interest must file a response within 30 days of the last date of publication or a judgment by default may be entered against you.

 

Dated this 23rd day of May, 2025.

Anthony and Rashun Bennett

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

Notice of Completion

 

May 7, 2025

 

In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama 1975 notice is hereby given that Hodge Mechanical Services, LLC, K & L Group, LLC, and Marcus Services & Solutions LLC has completed the Public Works Contract for Jefferson State Community College on the Shelby Campus in Hoover, AL for the Room 104 in the Math Science BuildingaH and have made request for final settlement of said contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify:

 

Jefferson State Community College

Attn: Business Office

2601 Carson Road

Birmingham, AL 35215

  

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

Notice of Completion

 

In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that A.G. Gaston Construction Company, INC (Contractor), has completed the Contract for Renovation of Sheridan Heights Community Center at 3501 Faro Drive Montgomery, AL 36106 for the state of Alabama and the (County), (City) of Montgomery, 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 Barganier Davis Williams Architects Associated.

A.G. Gaston Construction Company, INC

(Contractor)

1820 3rd Avenue North, Suite 400

Birmingham, AL 35203

(Business Address)

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

Notice of Completion 

 

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

that Specialty Turf Supply, Contractor, has completed the Contract for (Construction) of New Synthetic Turf for Chelsea High School Baseball and Softball at Chelsea High School for the State of Alabama and the (County)(City) of Shelby, Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Lathan Architect & Associates.

 

Michael Hill

(Contractor)

120 Metrock Circle, Helena AL 35080

 

(Business Address)

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

Notice of Completion 

 

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

that Shelby Company, LLC , Contractor, has completed the Contract for (Renovation) of UAB Interventional Pulmonology Renovation 6th Floor -Jefferson Tower at 619 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233 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 Williams Blackstock Architects 2204 First Ave South , Birmingham, AL 35233.

 

Shelby Company LLC

(Contractor)

3120 4th Ave S, Birmingham AL, 35233

(Business Address)

           

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

Notice of Completion 

WARNER’S ATHLETIC CONSTRUCTION CO., LLC hereby gives notice of completion of contract with City of Hoover located in the City of Hoover, AL. This notice will appear for four (4) consecutive weeks beginning 05/30/2025 and ending 06/20/2025. All claims should be filed at 570 Huntly Industrial Dr., Smyrna, TN 37167 during this period.

 

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

SALE OF ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLES

2011 Chevy Impala 2G1WG5EK7B1327069

2008 Nissan 1N4BL21E48C154541

2009 Altima 1N4AL21E59C103014

2002 Honda Crv

JHLRD68462C010994

2013 BMW 328

WBADW7C55DE731030

2017 Gmc Terrain

2GKALNEK4H6208148

2015 Nissan Sentra

3N1AB7AP6FY374049

2009 Subaru

JF2SH616X9H727248

2003 Mercedes S 500

WDBNG75JX3A333556

To be sold on the 23 day of June 2025 at 1 800 wreckers 130 3rd Ave No Birmingham AL 35204 at 11:00 am

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

Invitation for General Contractor Services Bid

 

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Notice is hereby given that Jefferson State Community College will be accepting sealed bids for General Contractor Services for the Jefferson, Shelby-Hoover, St. Clair-Pell City and Chilton-Clanton Campuses.

 

JSCC Bid #25-014 for General Contractor Services will need to be delivered on Thursday, June 5, 2025, by 2:00 p.m. local time to Jefferson State Community College, 2601 Carson Road, George Wallace Hall, Room 115, in Birmingham, AL 35215.

 

A complete set of Bid Documents shall be available through the Jefferson State Community College Purchasing Office.

By Mail:           Jefferson State Community College

Purchasing Coordinator

2601 Carson Road

GWH 100

Birmingham, AL 35215

 

Phone:            205-856-8020

 

Email:              purchasing@jeffersonstate.edu

 

 

Bids must be sealed when received and submitted on Proposal Forms furnished in the Bid Documents or copies thereof. The preceding is an abbreviated advertisement. The complete advertisement may be obtained via the contact information or location listed above.

 

  

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

ADVERTISEMENT for BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATION

And NOTICE of INTENT to RECEIVE BIDS

 from PREQUALIFIED BIDDERS

 

Pre-qualification submittals will be received by the Owner’s Representative/Project Manager, Jeff Orr on behalf of Office of the Chief Facilities Officer, UAB Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama Board of Trustees at UAB Hospital Planning, 2020 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35249 until 4:00 PM Central Time, June 10, 2025. The original and two (2) flash drives with duplicates of submittals are required for pre-qualification approval; however, email transmission copies may be transmitted to the UAB Project Manager Jeff Orr at jeorr@uabmc.edu and cc’d to allison@wba-architects.com and ykim@wba-architects.com to expedite the review process with a hard-copy of the submittal and two flash drives to be delivered within 24 hours.

 

UAB Tank Farm Relocation

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama

Project No.:  H245019

 

  1. SCOPE OF WORK:

 

The project consists of relocating the services of the liquid oxygen (LOX) tank farm currently on the corner of 7th Avenue South and 20th Street South. The scope will include building an open enclosure for an 11,000-gal main tank, 6,000-gal reserve tank, (2) 50A vaporizers that support the main tank, and (1) 50A vaporizer for the reserve tank; located in the Northwest corner of The Kirklin Clinic (TKC) block along 5th Ave South and 20th Street South. The new gas line will be routed from TKC to the basement of Jefferson Tower, where the gas line will reconnect into the existing system.

 

The scope of work includes architectural, structural, civil, and plumbing for new work associated with the scope of work. The construction budget is anticipated to be between $1,750,000 and $2,000,000.

 

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

 

 

  1. PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATIONS:

 

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

 

 

Only bidders who have completed the pre-qualification process and that have been approved will be eligible to submit a bid for the Project. Prospective Bidder’s Pre-qualification Package must be received by the Owner’s Project Manager no later than 4:00 PM Central Time, June 10, 2025 after which no further requests will be considered.

 

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

 

The pre-qualification procedure is intended to identify responsible and competent prime contractor bidders relative to the requirements of the Project. Each prospective prime contractor bidder will be notified of the results of the pre-qualification, on or about June 13, 2025.

 

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

 

Progress Design and Construction Documents:

Prior to the pre-qualification deadline, project progress plans and specifications may be examined at the following location beginning June 15, 2025:

 

Architect:

                        Williams Blackstock Architects

2200 First Avenue South

Suite 200

Birmingham, AL 35233

Phone: 205.252.9811

Contact: allison chang-roberts

Email: allison@wba-architects.com

 

  1. BIDS BY PRE-QUALIFIED PRIME GENERAL CONTRACTOR BIDDERS

 

Documents: 

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

 

                  Bonds:

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

 

Bids:

Bids must be submitted on proposal forms or copies thereof furnished by the Architect. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids for a period of ninety (90) days. The Owner reserves the right to reject bids if such action is determined to be in the best interest of the Owner. The Owner reserves the right to revoke pre-qualification of any bidder in accordance with Section 39-2-12, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended in 1997 (by Act 97-225). The Bid Date is July 1, 2025 at 2:00 PM Central Time at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Hospital Planning, 2020 University Blvd., Birmingham, Alabama 35294. Bids shall be clearly identified on the exterior of the package with the bidder’s name, address, State license number, the name of the project being bid, time and place of the bid opening. Sealed bids shall be properly identified.

 

On the date of the bid opening, bids may be hand delivered or received by Express Service mail to the Office of Jeff Orr, Project Manager Facilities and Capital Projects, 2020 Building, 2020 University Blvd, Birmingham, Alabama  35233, until 12:00 noon. After 12:00 noon of the date of the bid opening, proposals must be hand delivered and presented at the bid opening. Sealed proposals shall be submitted in triplicate and shall be properly identified. All proposals received after 2:00 p.m. on July 1, 2025 (the date and time set for the receipt of bids) will be returned unopened.

 

Nonresident Prime Contractor Bidders:

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

 

Fire Alarm Work:

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

 

 

  1. PRE-BID CONFERENCE

A mandatory Pre-Bid Conference is currently scheduled to be held at 1:00 PM CST on June 17, 2025 at UAB Hospital Facilities 2020 Building, 2020 University Blvd., Birmingham, Alabama 35233. It is mandatory that all pre-qualified prime contractor bidders attend the Pre-Bid Conference.

 

  

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

Jefferson County, Alabama Board of Equalization & Adjustments

Notice of Valuation of Property

In accordance with State of Alabama Code, Section 40-2-18, the Jefferson County, Alabama Board of Equalization has set 2025 real property values for all parcels located in Jefferson County, Alabama. Beginning on May 22, 2025 these values are available for public inspection in the Birmingham and Bessemer Courthouse’s Board of Equalization, or you may log on to the Board of Equalization website to locate the value. Objections must be filed in writing within 30 calendar days of the objection notice date. You may file online, hand deliver, or mail objections to us. Instructions addressing objections to value are also available on our website at: boe.jccal.org

 

 

  

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

Legal Notice

 

The Birmingham Airport Authority would like to run the following Ad for 2 weeks starting next week . Please provide proof every ad and pricing.

The Birmingham Airport Authority (“BAA” or “Authority”) is requesting proposals (RFP) to install new pedestrian crosswalk safety lighting at the terminal curb front drive for both the arrival passenger and commercial curb front and departure curb front at the Birmingham Shuttleworth International Airport. . Copies of the RFP can be obtained by visiting the Airports Website at http://www.flybhm.com or via email request sent to eseoane@flybhm.com. We will be having a pre-submittal meeting on May 21, 2025, located at 5900 Messer Airport Highway, Birmingham, AL 35212 at 2:00PM in Meeting Room A. The deadline for proposals is June 2, 2025 @2:00PM.

 

 

 

                 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

       

   INVITATION TO BID

 

The City of Birmingham will accept sealed bids for 2025 GENERAL CONSTRUCTION WORK ORDER CONTRACT. Bids will be received by the City Architect in Room 220 Birmingham City Hall, Birmingham, Alabama until 2:00 PM, Thursday June 26, 2025. Sealed bids will receive a time and date label to indicate timely receipt. All sealed bids received upon or prior to the stipulated time and date will then be publicly opened and read aloud in Conference Room 220 City Hall at approximately 2:10 PM.

 

A Pre-bid Conference to review and discuss the project will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday June 12, 2025, in Conference Room 220-Birmingham City Hall 710 20th Street, North Birmingham, AL 35203. Attendance at the Pre-bid Conference is MANDATORY and shall be deemed a consideration of a bidder’s responsiveness, in addition to any other stipulations.

 

This Contract is an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract to perform an undetermined number of minor roofing repairs at various undetermined city facilities, as needed, for maintenance related repairs or to meet emergency needs. A master agreement will be awarded to the Contractor and a separate work order will be issued to the Contractor for each specific assigned location on an as-needed basis. These work orders will reflect diagnostic, patching and minor repairs that typically need to be responded to and completed quickly.

 

All bids must be on a unit price basis, with estimated quantities. Bids are to be submitted in on the Proposal Form provided with specifications. No pre-qualification of bidders will be conducted prior to receiving bids.

 

The bidder will base its bid amount on the unit prices and the estimated quantities set forth in the Form of Proposal, which will only be used for the purpose of the comparison and evaluation of bids. The contract term will be for one (1) year. The value of the contract shall not exceed $370,000.

 

Under the Alabama State Code, Section 39-1-1(e), as amended by Act #2023-497 and Section 39-2-4, it is required for any contract exceeding $100,000 that the Bidder submit with his bid, either a cashier’s check, drawn on an Alabama bank, or a bid bond, executed by a surety authorized and qualified to make bonds in Alabama, payable to the City of Birmingham, in an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the bid (subject to a maximum of $10,000.00). In order for a bid to be considered, it must be accompanied by an acceptable bid bond or cashier’s check.

 

Any bid submitted for an amount of $50,000 or more, the bidder must be a licensed general contractor in the State of Alabama in accordance with Section 34-8, of the Alabama State Code. Contractor’s

license number shall appear on the outside of the envelope used to submit bid.

 

A Performance Bond in the amount of 100% of the contract amount and a Statutory Labor and Material Payment Bond in the amount of 100% of the contract amount will be required from the successful bidder at the signing of the contract. Also, proof of insurance will be required when the contract is signed. The City will review bonds and insurance and execute the contract within twenty (20) days unless the successful contractor agrees to an extension in writing.

 

Bid documents may be viewed and purchased through the City of Birmingham online plans room site at https://www.birminghamplanroom.com. Any cost for reproduction shall be the responsibility of bidders.

 

Since award may not be made within thirty (30) days, no bid may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days after the date of the bid opening.

 

The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids submitted, and to waive any informalities

 

 

IMPORTANT BIDDER INFORMATION

 

Bidders are expected to prepare their bid to include all necessary material, labor, bonds, permits, overhead, profit, taxes, insurance, etc. costs. It is not the City’s obligation to bring mistakes/omissions in bid to bidder’s attention. If after bid opening, a bidder determines he has a mistake in bid, he may seek withdrawal of his bid without forfeiting his bond, if the request is in writing within three (3) workdays after the bid opening and is accompanied by clear and convincing evidence of the mistake.

 

All cashier’s checks or bid bonds will be returned immediately after bids are checked and tabulated to all except the three (3) lowest bona fide bidders. Bid bonds shall be returned to the three (3) lowest bona fide bidders when the contract is signed and performance and payment bonds and insurance are furnished by the successful bidder. If award is not made within fifteen (15) days after bid opening, all bid guarantees will be returned except for those of the potentially successful bidders. If after sixty (60) days, no award has been made, all bids shall be rejected, and the potentially successful bidder’s guarantee will be returned unless the bidder agrees in writing to a time extension. If a time extension is effected, bidder may substitute any cashier’s check for a satisfactory bid bond.

 

Any contract resulting from this Invitation to Bid shall not be assignable without prior written consent of the City. Under no conditions, shall the contract be assigned to an unsuccessful bidder whose bid was rejected as non-responsive and/or non-responsible.

 

This project is subject to the requirements of the Birmingham Plan-Construction Industry Program, which is designed to encourage the utilization of Minority Business Enterprises and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (“MBE/DBE”) in City of Birmingham construction projects. Special attention is called to the requirement of all bidders to identify trades and activities for which it will solicit and accept bids from potential MBE/DBE subcontractors. Potential bidders are encouraged to contact the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority (BCIA) to request a list of potential subcontractors and submit the required MBE/DBE forms by contacting the Executive Director, Birmingham Construction Industry Authority at 601 37th Street South, Birmingham, AL, 35222; telephone (205) 324-6202 or info@bcia1.org.

 

As a matter of public policy, the City of Birmingham agrees to make opportunities available to the maximum extent possible, to actively include Historically Underutilized Business Enterprises (HUBE’s) such as architectural firms, engineering firms, investment banking firms, other professional consultant services providers, and construction contractors as part of business, economic and community revitalization programs.

 

Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope marked: 2025 GENERAL CONSTRUCTION Work Order Contract may be hand delivered to Room 220 City Hall, Birmingham, Alabama, or mailed to: City of Birmingham Department of Capital Projects, Architectural Division, Room 220 City Hall, 710 North 20th Street, Birmingham, Alabama 35203. Bids sent by any express carrier (Federal Express, UPS, Airborne, etc.) must specify delivery to Room 220 City Hall.

 

The sealed bid envelope shall contain the following documents:  (1) the Form of Proposal,  (2) Sales Tax Attachment  (3) the Authorization to execute the Form of proposal,  (4) fully executed bid bond or certified check,  (5) MBE/DBE Forms A, C, and D and  (6) a copy of the Contractor’s State of Alabama General Contractor’s License,  (7) a current City of Birmingham Business License and  (8) E-verify documentation.

 

It is the bidder’s responsibility to make sure that his bid is in the possession of the City Architect on or before 2:00 p.m., June 26, 2025. Bids received after this time will not be considered.

 

Gary C. Ohlman, City Architect

 

 

                 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

                                                     

 

INVITATION TO BID

BIRMINGHAM-SHUTTLESWORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

RFP: Runway Intersection Drainage Improvements

The Birmingham Airport Authority (BAA) in Birmingham, AL, is accepting sealed bids for the above referenced item. Sealed bids should be plainly marked and will be received at:

Ed Seoane

Birmingham Airport Authority

5900 Messer Airport Highway

Birmingham, AL 35212

Until 2:00 PM CST, Monday, June 9th, 2025, at which time bids will be opened at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport and read aloud. All bids received after that time will be returned unopened. The BAA highly recommends hand or courier delivery of bids to the BAA front office located at the southern end of the terminal building on the lower level. Please visit https://www.flybirmingham.com/procurement/ to obtain a copy of the Invitation to Bid, which contains additional critical information.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

  • The replacement of two stormwater inlets
  • The installation of a new aircraft rated stormwater inlet
  • Turf grading modifications in the northeast quadrant of the intersection of both Runways (Runway 18-36 and Runway 6-24)
  • The grout stabilization and remediation of a subsurface void in the northeast quadrant of the runway intersection

                                  

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

                                                     

INVITATION TO BID

The City of Birmingham will accept sealed bids for the project 40th St N Street Improvements:  Intersection Improvements at 40th St N and Richard Arrington Jr Blvd; Grade, Base, Pave, and Signals; Project # ENG IAR-037-000-010. Bids will be received by the City Engineer in Suite 220 of City Hall, Birmingham, Alabama until Wednesday, June 25th, 2025, at 2:00 pm. Sealed bids will be time-stamped at the time of arrival. Bids will then be publicly opened and read in Suite 220 Conference Room beginning at 2:00 pm. It is the bidder’s responsibility to make sure that the bid is in the possession of the City Engineer on or before time set for opening. Bids received after this time will not be considered. Bids can be dropped into the bid box located in Room 220 City Hall, hand-delivered to the City Engineer in Room 220 of City Hall or brought to the bid opening.

 

This is a roadway improvement project along 40th St N from Richard Arrington Jr Blvd to I-20/59. The primary items and quantities are approximately:

Excavation (various types) – 12,760 CY, Aggregate Base (6”) – 5,175 SY, Asphalt Paving – 3,726 Tons, 54” Storm Pipe – 1,556 LF, 72” Manhole – 12 Each, Sidewalk – 761 SY, Traffic Signal, Striping, Erosion Control

 

A MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held on Wednesday, June 11th, 2025, at 3:00 pm (CST) in Conference Room 220 City Hall.

 

Bid documents are open to public inspection at the Office of the City Engineer in the Department of Capital Projects — Suite 220 of City Hall, 710 20th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203. Bid documents may be viewed and purchased through the City of Birmingham online plans room site at https://www.birminghamplanroom.com/ under the project name 40th St N Street Improvements. Any cost for reproduction shall be the responsibility of bidders. Prospective bidders are advised to check their source of bid documents frequently for any addenda to the bid documents. It is the bidder’s responsibility to bid on the correct set of bid documents.

 

Bids shall be accompanied by a cashier’s check drawn on an Alabama bank, or a bid bond executed by a surety company duly authorized and qualified to make such bonds in the State of Alabama, in an amount equal to 5% of the bid (subject to maximum of $10,000) and payable to the City of Birmingham. Bid bonds of the three (3) lowest bidders will be held for a period of ninety (90) days unless bidders agree, in writing, to a longer period of time. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for the receipt of the bids for a period of ninety (90) days.

 

A performance bond equal to 100% of the contract amount and a payment bond equal to 100% of the contract amount will be required of the successful bidder during the award process. Said bonds shall be executed by a surety company duly authorized and qualified to make such bonds in the State of Alabama.

 

Liability insurance certificates shall be required of the successful bidder during the award process and such certificates shall list the City of Birmingham, its officials, agents, and employees as additional named insured.

 

Only bids submitted by General Contractors licensed in the State of Alabama in accordance with Alabama Code Chapter 8, Title 34 (inclusive) will be considered.

 

Bids shall be submitted in a sealed envelope marked “40th St N Street Improvements” on the outside of each envelope. Contractors shall also write on the outside of the sealed bid envelope his or her State of Alabama general contractor’s license number as well as the name of the company submitting the bid.

 

The sealed bid envelope shall contain the following documents: (1) the Form of Proposal, (2) Sales Tax Attachment form, (3) the Authorization to Execute form, (4) fully executed bid bond or certified check, (5) MBE/DBE Forms A, C, and D, (6) a copy of the contractor’s current State of Alabama General Contractor’s License, (7) a current City of Birmingham Business License, (8) E-verify documentation, (9) Transparency in City Government form, and (10) List of Subcontractors.

 

This project is subject to the requirements of the Birmingham Plan-Construction Industry Program, which is designed to encourage the utilization of Minority Business Enterprises and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (“MBE/DBE”) in City of Birmingham construction projects. The program is administered by the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority (BCIA) which establishes a system of floating MBE/DBE goals which may differ from year to year and project to project. Overall, these goals shall not be less than the historical participation of MBE/DBE’s in construction projects of the City and its agencies.

 

Special attention is called to the requirement of all bidders to identify trades and activities for which it will solicit and accept bids from potential MBE/DBE subcontractors. Potential bidders are encouraged to contact the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority (BCIA) to request a list of potential subcontractors and submit the required MBE/DBE forms by contacting the Executive Director, Birmingham Construction Industry Authority at 601 37th Street South, Birmingham, AL, 35222; telephone (205) 324-6202 or info@bcia1.org.

 

As a matter of public policy, the City of Birmingham agrees to make opportunities available to the maximum extent possible, to actively include Historically Underutilized Business Enterprises (HUBE’s) such as architectural firms, engineering firms, investment banking firms, other professional consultant services providers, and construction contractors as part of business, economic and community revitalization programs.

 

The City of Birmingham reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informality in any bid.

 

Jesse Miller, PE

City Engineer

 

 

                       

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

PUBLIC HOUSING WAITLIST APPLICATIONS

Will be taken at

JEFFERSON COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY

601 Pecan Street

Warrior, AL  35180

(205) 647-9605

 

 

 

Monday, June 9, 2025, and ending Thursday, June 12, 2025, you can pick up a Public Housing Application Monday – Thursday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, print from the website JCHA.COM or an application can be emailed to you. Applications are for the waitlist for the following sites: Warrior Court 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedrooms, Chelsea Gardens 0, 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms, Bradford 1, 2, & 3 bedrooms, Dixi Manor 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedrooms, and Faucett Homes in Trafford 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedrooms.

 

 

When submitting your application, you must include the following documentation:

 

 Valid state driver’s license, State ID, or Military ID for each household member 18 years and older.

 Verification of current income (SS, SSI, TANF, etc.) and/or proof of employment (two consecutive paystubs)

 

Please note: Applicants will be pulled from the waitlist. Prior to being housed, additional paperwork/documentation will be required, to complete the move-in process.

 

Additionally, if it is determined that you are not eligible to be placed on the waitlist, you will be notified in writing.

 

Applicants already on the waiting lists for other housing programs must apply separately for this program and such applicants will not lose their place on other waiting lists when they apply for public housing. If you have questions or concerns, please call: 205-647-9605.

 

 

Take I-65 North to Exit 281/Warrior. At the bottom of the ramp, turn right onto Dana Road. At the end of Dana Road, turn left onto Highway 31. Take an immediate left onto Pecan Street. JCHA Office will be on the right.

 

           

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

LEGAL NOTICE

INVITATION TO BID

ITB# 50-25 “FRESH SCHOOL”

JEFFERSON, COUNTY, AL

 

Bids will be received by Jefferson County Commission Purchasing Agent Michael D. Matthews, PH.D., C.P.M., until 4:00 (CST) p.m. on Monday, June 233, 2025, for ITB 50-25 Fresh Produce.

 

All Solicitation information including forms and specifications are available for download for 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 Valerie Henderson.

 

A pre-bid conference will be held Monday, June 9, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. (CST) in Purchasing Suite 830 of the Jefferson County Main Courthouse, 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. N., Birmingham, AL 35203.

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

INVITATION TO BID

 

The City of Birmingham will accept sealed bids for 2025 GENERAL CONSTRUCTION WORK ORDER CONTRACT. Bids will be received by the City Architect in Room 220 Birmingham City Hall, Birmingham, Alabama until 2:00 PM, Thursday June 26, 2025. Sealed bids will receive a time and date label to indicate timely receipt. All sealed bids received upon or prior to the stipulated time and date will then be publicly opened and read aloud in Conference Room 220 City Hall at approximately 2:10 PM.

 

A Pre-bid Conference to review and discuss the project will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday June 12, 2025, in Conference Room 220-Birmingham City Hall 710 20th Street, North Birmingham, AL 35203. Attendance at the Pre-bid Conference is MANDATORY and shall be deemed a consideration of a bidder’s responsiveness, in addition to any other stipulations.

 

This Contract is an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract to perform an undetermined number of minor repairs at various undetermined city facilities, as needed, for maintenance related repairs, minor construction or to meet emergency needs. A master agreement will be awarded to the Contractor and a separate work order will be issued to the Contractor for each specific assigned location on an as-needed basis. These work orders will reflect diagnostic, patching and minor repairs that typically need to be responded to and completed quickly.

 

All bids must be on a unit price basis, with estimated quantities. Bids are to be submitted in on the Proposal Form provided with specifications. No pre-qualification of bidders will be conducted prior to receiving bids.

 

The bidder will base its bid amount on the unit prices and the estimated quantities set forth in the Form of Proposal, which will only be used for the purpose of the comparison and evaluation of bids. The contract term will be for one (1) year. The value of the contract shall not exceed $370,000.

 

Under the Alabama State Code, Section 39-1-1(e), as amended by Act #2023-497 and Section 39-2-4, it is required for any contract exceeding $100,000 that the Bidder submit with his bid, either a cashier’s check, drawn on an Alabama bank, or a bid bond, executed by a surety authorized and qualified to make bonds in Alabama, payable to the City of Birmingham, in an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the bid (subject to a maximum of $10,000.00). In order for a bid to be considered, it must be accompanied by an acceptable bid bond or cashier’s check.

 

Any bid submitted for an amount of $50,000 or more, the bidder must be a licensed general contractor in the State of Alabama in accordance with Section 34-8, of the Alabama State Code. Contractor’s

license number shall appear on the outside of the envelope used to submit bid.

 

A Performance Bond in the amount of 100% of the contract amount and a Statutory Labor and Material Payment Bond in the amount of 100% of the contract amount will be required from the successful bidder at the signing of the contract. Also, proof of insurance will be required when the contract is signed. The City will review bonds and insurance and execute the contract within twenty (20) days unless the successful contractor agrees to an extension in writing.

 

Bid documents may be viewed and purchased through the City of Birmingham online plans room site at https://www.birminghamplanroom.com. Any cost for reproduction shall be the responsibility of bidders.

 

Since award may not be made within thirty (30) days, no bid may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days after the date of the bid opening.

 

The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids submitted, and to waive any informalities

 

 

IMPORTANT BIDDER INFORMATION

 

Bidders are expected to prepare their bid to include all necessary material, labor, bonds, permits, overhead, profit, taxes, insurance, etc. costs. It is not the City’s obligation to bring mistakes/omissions in bid to bidder’s attention. If after bid opening, a bidder determines he has a mistake in bid, he may seek withdrawal of his bid without forfeiting his bond, if the request is in writing within three (3) workdays after the bid opening and is accompanied by clear and convincing evidence of the mistake.

 

All cashier’s checks or bid bonds will be returned immediately after bids are checked and tabulated to all except the three (3) lowest bona fide bidders. Bid bonds shall be returned to the three (3) lowest bona fide bidders when the contract is signed and performance and payment bonds and insurance are furnished by the successful bidder. If award is not made within fifteen (15) days after bid opening, all bid guarantees will be returned except for those of the potentially successful bidders. If after sixty (60) days, no award has been made, all bids shall be rejected, and the potentially successful bidder’s guarantee will be returned unless the bidder agrees in writing to a time extension. If a time extension is effected, bidder may substitute any cashier’s check for a satisfactory bid bond.

 

Any contract resulting from this Invitation to Bid shall not be assignable without prior written consent of the City. Under no conditions, shall the contract be assigned to an unsuccessful bidder whose bid was rejected as non-responsive and/or non-responsible.

 

This project is subject to the requirements of the Birmingham Plan-Construction Industry Program, which is designed to encourage the utilization of Minority Business Enterprises and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (“MBE/DBE”) in City of Birmingham construction projects. Special attention is called to the requirement of all bidders to identify trades and activities for which it will solicit and accept bids from potential MBE/DBE subcontractors. Potential bidders are encouraged to contact the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority (BCIA) to request a list of potential subcontractors and submit the required MBE/DBE forms by contacting the Executive Director, Birmingham Construction Industry Authority at 601 37th Street South, Birmingham, AL, 35222; telephone (205) 324-6202 or info@bcia1.org.

 

As a matter of public policy, the City of Birmingham agrees to make opportunities available to the maximum extent possible, to actively include Historically Underutilized Business Enterprises (HUBE’s) such as architectural firms, engineering firms, investment banking firms, other professional consultant services providers, and construction contractors as part of business, economic and community revitalization programs.

 

Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope marked: 2025 GENERAL CONSTRUCTION Work Order Contract may be hand delivered to Room 220 City Hall, Birmingham, Alabama, or mailed to: City of Birmingham Department of Capital Projects, Architectural Division, Room 220 City Hall, 710 North 20th Street, Birmingham, Alabama 35203. Bids sent by any express carrier (Federal Express, UPS, Airborne, etc.) must specify delivery to Room 220 City Hall.

 

The sealed bid envelope shall contain the following documents:  (1) the Form of Proposal,  (2) Sales Tax Attachment  (3) the Authorization to execute the Form of proposal,  (4) fully executed bid bond or certified check,  (5) MBE/DBE Forms A, C, and D and  (6) a copy of the Contractor’s State of Alabama General Contractor’s License,  (7) a current City of Birmingham Business License and  (8) E-verify documentation.

 

It is the bidder’s responsibility to make sure that his bid is in the possession of the City Architect on or before 2:00 p.m., June 26, 2025. Bids received after this time will not be considered.

 

Gary C. Ohlman, City Architect

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

HOUSING AUTHORITY BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT

NOTICE OF INVITATION FOR BID

 

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) No. B25022

Loveman Village Gymnasium Renovation

Issued May 22, 2025

 

AGENCY CONTACT PERSON Darryl Grayson, Procurement Analyst

Telephone: (205)521-0611

E-mail: dgrayson@habd.net

TDD/TTY: 800-548-2546

HOW TO OBTAIN THE RFP DOCUMENTS ON THE EPROCUREMENT MARKETPLACE 1.   Access ha.internationaleprocurement.com (no “www”).

2.   Click on the “Login” button in the upper left side.

3.   Follow the listed directions.

4.   If you have any problems in accessing or registering on the Marketplace, please call customer support at (866)526-9266.

PRE-BID CONFERENCE & SITE VISIT Friday June 6, 2025 2:00 PM CT
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS Friday June 13, 2025 2:00 PM CT
SUBMITTAL RETURN DEADLINE Monday June 23, 2025 2:00 PM CT

1826 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, Al 35233

 

[Section 3, Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]

 

 

 

 

BT5/29/2025

 

______________________________

 

 

UAB Cancels Scholarships for Black Medical Students; Family of Prominent Doctor Sees Move as a Slap

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Herschell Hamilton, a Birmingham-based business executive, poses with a picture of his father, right, a prominent doctor during Birmingham's Civil Rights Movement. (The Birmingham Times/File)

By Katherine Mangan | chronicle.com

In 2013, the family of Herschell Lee Hamilton established an annual scholarship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to support high-achieving, financially needy Black students who had been accepted to the university’s medical school.

On April 11, the university pulled the plug on the scholarship and sent the money back.

The family of Hamilton, a surgeon who died in 2003 after more than four decades immersed in Birmingham’s Civil Rights struggle, sees the decision as a slap to his legacy.

But the university faced the prospect of losing federal funds after the Trump administration warned in a February “Dear Colleague” letter that race-conscious scholarships were discriminatory and illegal. UAB is among several universities the Education Department specifically targeted for investigation.

Arriving in Birmingham in 1959, Hamilton patched and healed Civil Rights protesters and children whose run-ins with police dogs and fire hoses in the early 1960s gained national attention. And he played a crucial role in attracting young Black people to the medical profession, where they’d largely been unwelcome.

I spoke with his son, Herschell Lanier Hamilton, a Birmingham-based business executive, about his father’s legacy, why he thinks the scholarship is still needed, and how the university’s return of the contribution stung. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I understand your father was Birmingham’s first Black board-certified surgeon. How did his work intersect with the burgeoning Civil Rights movement?

My father was a World War II veteran. He felt the country owed him and other veterans and other Black people the rights he and others went and fought for. He couldn’t sit around passively and do nothing.

In the Deep South, in particular Birmingham, there were clashes among nonviolent Black Civil Rights protesters and members of the broader white community that opposed the movement. He had heard about what was going on in Birmingham and felt he needed to come and lend a hand.

When he got here, he recognized the health disparities that resulted from policies in the Jim Crow South, including health-care institutions that literally refused to accept Black patients.

His office was located in a historic home in Birmingham’s Civil Rights district. When you see pictures of firemen hosing people down in the park, dogs being unleashed on protesters, all of those things happened one-and-a-half blocks from his office.

He turned his office into a triage station, and as marchers were injured by dogs or water hoses, they would bring them around to his office and he would patch them up and send them back out into the streets to continue their protest.

What was the reception like in a predominantly white health-care community?

He had staff privileges at multiple hospitals around Birmingham. He would be making rounds with residents, back in the days when they had elevator operators, and the hospitals had policies that no Black people could be on elevators. His white residents could go on the elevator, but he had to take the steps.

Interacting with white physicians and nurses who had never engaged with a Black physician, my father let his work speak for him. As he scrubbed in with other physicians, people began to see his prowess and his skills. Over time, you’d chip away from this societally curated racism that existed. He established a reputation as an outstanding surgeon in the community broadly, not just in the Black community.

He was dedicated to recruiting other physicians to Birmingham and encouraging young people to look at medicine as a career.

How did the scholarship, which was given each year to an incoming student with at least a 3.0 GPA who was selected by the university, come about?

My father died in 2003. After his death, we had a number of conversations with the folks at UAB about establishing a scholarship in his name that would go to support African American students who had been accepted at and were entering UAB’s medical school.

The purpose of the scholarship was to honor and continue the advocacy my father promoted when he was alive. In a state like Alabama that has a disproportionately low number of African American physicians, it’s important to have more — and more diverse — physicians. Studies have shown that African American people have better health outcomes when they are tended to by African American physicians.

The UAB School of Medicine has really been committed to producing merit-based, ethnically diverse crops of physicians. I emphasize merit-based because any time people say DEI, somebody thinks that somebody is giving somebody something. That’s not the case. You take the MCAT. You have to have the grades. You go before a selection committee, and you are selected.

In February, the Trump administration issued the “Dear Colleague” letter declaring all race-conscious programs illegal and threatening to yank federal funds from any colleges that maintain them. Then, the Education Department announced that UAB was among the universities it was investigating for what it called “impermissible race-based scholarships.” [A university spokesperson declined to comment on the decision to return the Hamilton scholarship, citing the investigation. She said the university had reviewed its scholarships for compliance with federal law, “including the Title VI obligations clarified by the Supreme Court and recent guidance from the federal government.” She added that it’s “continuing to work with donors on any necessary adjustments.”]

How worried were you at that point about the future of the scholarship?

Universities have been grappling with issues around programs designated for ethnically diverse students since the Supreme Court’s affirmative-action decision in 2023. It was no surprise that at some point we would have to have a conversation with the university about the program.

We had an initial conversation about the law passed in Alabama [in 2024] that didn’t allow for scholarships designated for ethnically diverse individuals. We thought about tweaking the program so it didn’t specifically state that it would go to Black students. It could go to underresourced students or students from poor regions of the state or students that may have attended historically Black colleges. We felt that there was a way to maintain the program.

Then maybe [six weeks] ago, we got a call from the university saying the administration had made a determination that for this, and other scholarship programs like it, they had decided to return those funds to the donors and end their participation in those scholarship programs.

We were disappointed because instead of pushing back or fighting, they’re caving in to policies that are so separated from the realities on the ground. Why would you end a program that focuses on the development and training of Black physicians who are more likely to set up practices in those communities that have the worst health outcomes?

These schools are trying to divorce themselves from these programs as if society self-corrects. It doesn’t. American society as it relates to race or inclusion or health outcomes has never self-corrected. You have to have intentional programs of inclusion in order to change the outcomes.

What do you think about having the scholarship described as discriminatory?

It’s an indication that the secretary of education is not a student of U.S. history or race relations and the construct of race in the United States. She doesn’t recognize that the disparities that exist are the result of historic practices, policies, and laws in generations past.

My level of frustration as an African American man in the United States is the fact that people who make policy decisions do not understand the implications. When Reagan was in office, he talked about trickle-down economics. What we’re having now is trickle-down carnage. It’s hurting people on the ground.

The medical school has been outstanding as it relates to working to administer the program and working to abide by the laws passed in the state of Alabama. Our heartburn relates to the university administration’s decision to just pull the plug on this scholarship program.

Katherine Mangan writes about community colleges, completion efforts, student success, and job training, as well as free speech and other topics in daily news. Follow her @KatherineMangan, or email her at katherine.mangan@chronicle.com.

Residents Have Their Say at Birmingham’s Civil Rights Crossroads Launch

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Hosted at Pepper Place as part of the national Celebrate Trails Day movement, the Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads event spotlighted how trails can connect communities to history, opportunity, and healthier futures. (City of Birmingham)

birminghamal.gov

Birmingham recently celebrated a major milestone with the public launch of the Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads project.

Hosted at Pepper Place as part of the national Celebrate Trails Day movement organized by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the event spotlighted how trails can connect communities to history, opportunity, and healthier futures.

While trails across the country were celebrated, Birmingham’s activation centered around one transformational effort: the Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads — a project led by Dynamic Civil Solutions in partnership with the City of Birmingham’s Department of Transportation (BDOT).

The Crossroads project will develop a 3.16-mile network of multi-use paths, bike lanes, sidewalks, and mobility hubs​…to connect residents and visitors to Birmingham’s historic Civil Rights landmarks and downtown districts.Trails make it easier for people of all abilities to safely get outdoors and move through their communities — whether by foot, bike, or assisted mobility.

These essential outdoor spaces bring powerful economic opportunity to communities big, small, and in between; create healthier, safer, and more vibrant places; and provide ways for us to connect and add more joy to our everyday lives — values that the Crossroads project is designed to deliver for Birmingham.

Mayor Randall Woodfin talks with citizens at the Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads event. (City of Birmingham)

A Day of Meaningful Engagement

The kickoff event invited the public to engage directly with the Crossroads vision. Informational booths displayed maps, trail concepts, and feedback opportunities​. Staff and volunteers in Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads shirts spoke with attendees about how the trail network will reconnect neighborhoods like Smithfield and Graymont through safe, modern transportation options.

Throughout the morning, attendees also heard reflections on what the project means for Birmingham’s future. Mayor Randall Woodfin shared:”This project is about linking our past to our future — making sure that Birmingham’s story is accessible, walkable, and unforgettable.”

Christina Argo, Deputy Director, Strategic Projects, City of Birmingham Department of Transportation added:”The Crossroads project is more than a set of infrastructure improvements — it’s an opportunity to reshape how people experience the city, its history, and each other.”The morning concluded with a vibrant community bike ride through downtown Birmingham, symbolizing the future accessibility and vibrancy that the Crossroads project will foster.

By hosting Celebrate Trails Day here in Birmingham, the city reinforced the growing recognition that trails are powerful engines for wellness, economic growth, and community storytelling. The Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads project stands as a living example — showing how trails can strengthen neighborhoods, honor historic legacies, and create vibrant spaces for future generations.

The Path Forward

As planning and construction move forward, the Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads will not just create pathways — it will create connection points between Birmingham’s iconic Civil Rights history and its bright future. Saturday’s public engagement made one thing clear: the community is ready to Walk the Path and Honor the Past — together.

Get Involved: Help Shape the Crossroads Trail! The Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads project is taking shape — and your voice is essential to bringing it to life. Take our quick survey to share your ideas and help us create a connected, walkable, and bikeable future for our city. Learn more and get involved at: www.bhmcrossroads.com

2025 World Police & Fire Games is Looking for Volunteers

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The Birmingham 2025 World Police and Fire Games Volunteer Program is looking for more volunteers. (Provided)

birminghamal.gov

More than 6,400 police and fire athletes from around the globe are slated to compete in the World Police and Fire Games, which will be in Birmingham June 27-July 6. June 15 is the deadline to sign up to be a volunteer for the games.

There are 65 sports, including lacrosse, flag football, basketball, baseball and weightlifting. The opening ceremonies will be held at the BJCC arena on Friday, June 27.  All events are free to attend, and organizers said they are excited to see local residents fill the volunteer slots.

“Think about every day how the first responders put their lives on the line to serve and protect us, and this is an opportunity for you to give back to them,’’ said Crystal Ash, volunteer manager with the World Police and Fire Games.

Different opportunities are available, including registration, competition assistant, athlete check-in, timers/counters, results runners, medals, set up and tear down, and more.

A majority of the volunteer slots are in Birmingham, but other slots are in Jefferson, Shelby and Talladega counties. There are no remote positions. Some positions, such as registration, check-in, score keepers, etc., are available for those who cannot stand for long periods of time. Groups and clubs are encouraged to register, too.

“We can definitely work to schedule volunteer slots near a person’s home or workplace,” Ash said. “For example, we have events at the Birmingham CrossPlex, the BJCC, the Lyric Theatre and the Alabama Theatre  in downtown Birmingham, the Hoover Met, Boutwell Auditorium, City Walk, the Birmingham Zoo, Barber Motorsports, the Rotary Trail, Rickwood Field, Oak Mountain State Park, Vestavia Bowl, Samford University, George Ward Park, the Bent Brook Golf Course in Bessemer, the Oxmoor Valley Golf Course, Highland Park Golf Course in Birmingham, Bill Noble Park in Gardendale, and Railroad Park, just to name a few.’’

Most shifts are three to five hours long, and volunteers must work a minimum of four shifts. Also, all volunteers must have transportation to and from shift locations. Volunteers are subject to a background check. Applicants must be 16 years old by June 1, 2025 to volunteer.

Volunteers will receive a T-shirt, which must be worn during their shift. Lunch will be provided during day shifts.

Ash said that by volunteering, people will get to:

  • Connect with diverse communities and showcase Birmingham’s hospitality on a global stage.
  • Meet public safety professionals, international visitors, and fellow volunteers from around the world.
  • Create lasting memories for participants and spectators.
  • And experience different cultures and traditions firsthand while representing Birmingham.

Individuals should visit https://bhm2025.com/become-a-volunteer/ to sign up and get started.  Questions? Send emails to  Volunteer@BHM2025.com. For more information about the Police and Fire World Games, please visit www.bhm2025.com.

What Pope Leo XIV Means to Black Catholics in the Birmingham Region

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Brent Patterson, Acolyte/Lector, at Our Lady of Fátima Catholic Church in Birmingham's historic Titusville neighborhood. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Sym Posey and Don Rhodes II | The Birmingham Times

“Shocked and excited.” “A powerful moment.” “Overwhelming.” “A pope for the people.”

Those were sentiments from a few Black Catholics in the Birmingham-area after Pope Leo XIV became the first North American and first person of Haitian and African American descent to be elected to lead the global Catholic community.

“I was shocked and excited when I heard that the pope was American,” said Brent Patterson, who has been a member of Our Lady of Fátima Catholic Church in Birmingham’s historic Titusville neighborhood for the past 14 years. “Shocked that in over 2,000 years of the church’s existence, no pope has been American. … Excited that he is American like me and potentially has Black, Creole, and Spanish [ancestry].”

Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, 2025, becoming the first Holy Father (a title of reverence used by Catholics to address the pope) from the United States. He took the name Pope Leo XIV and now leads the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, including 125,000 total in Birmingham — about 4,000 of which are Black, according to the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama. He is the successor to Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina), who died on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 years old after serving 12 years as leader of the global Catholic community.

Pope Leo XIV was born in Chicago, Illinois, but 19th-century census records show that all four of his maternal great-grandparents were “free people of color” in Louisiana. The pope’s maternal family was part of a rich tradition of Black Catholicism in New Orleans, Louisiana, where African-descended individuals were introduced to the faith, according to census records.

Brent Patterson, Acolyte/Lector, at Our Lady of Fátima Catholic Church in Birmingham’s historic Titusville neighborhood. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

Patterson said Pope Leo XIV’s diverse background will “spark more interest in and bring more attention to Catholicism and to the Black and Brown Catholic communities that tend to get overlooked at times, especially in the South, [because] it helps Catholics in America feel like they are being seen.”

“With him having a potential Black, Creole, and Hispanic lineage, it opens it up for more representation for other minorities within the Catholic church,” added Patterson, who converted to Catholicism from Southern Baptist in April 2011.

“I felt in my heart that God was leading me to it,” he said. “It was just something about the Eucharist and the communal service of the church.”

Patterson currently serves the church in multiple roles: “I am the Acolyte/Lector, [someone appointed to read the Word of God], for Our Lady of Fátima Catholic Church and the [Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN)] of the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama, [and an] Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion,” also known as a Eucharistic Minister, or a lay person who assists with Holy Communion.

Patterson, 47, who resides in Pelham, Alabama, but used to live in Birmingham, said he is looking forward to seeing what Pope Leo XIV brings to the faithful, including a “solid philosophical and intellectual grasp of Biblical and Catholic doctrine by using his pastoral strengths to influence others as a bridge-builder and as a loving Servant of Christ.”

One of the pope’s alternative titles is that of Supreme “Pontiff,” or “bridge-builder.” According to the website Catholic Share, “In ancient Rome, [Pontiff] referred to priests who connected the human and divine through rituals.”

Here’s what some other Black Catholics in Birmingham had to say about the recently installed Pope Leo XIV:

Edith Aguillard inside St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Bessemer, Alabama. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

Edith Aguillard

Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Aguillard grew up as a “cradle Catholic,” someone who has been a Catholic from birth, raised in a Catholic family, and typically received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion since she was “four weeks old,” she said.

Hearing that Robert Francis Prevost had been elected to become the 267th occupant of the throne of St. Peter “was overwhelming for me.”

Another alternative title for the pope is “‘Successor of the Prince of the Apostles,’ referring to St. Peter, [who] is called the ‘prince’ because he was the leader among the apostles, chosen by Christ in John 21:15–17 to feed His sheep. The pope inherits this leadership as Peter’s direct successor.”

“I grew up with Pope John Paul XXIII, [who served from 1958 to 1963 and was canonized as a saint by Pope Francis in 2014], and things were a little bit different,” said Aguillard, 73, who attends St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Bessemer, Alabama. “I think Pope Leo XIV is going to continue the work of Pope Francis. I think he will definitely be a builder of bridges.”

Aguillard added, “[Pope Leo XIV] is going to be one that connects the different churches and makes sure that the church is still being uplifted and growing at all times. His devotion to the Blessed Mother [Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ], I can connect to.”

Being Catholic in New Orleans was easy, said Aguillard, because “you have Catholic churches everywhere. … It was the most blessed piece of my life. I was my grandmother’s shadow. The Catholic parish that I belonged to in New Orleans actually started in the driveway of my grandparents’ home.”

When Aguillard moved to Birmingham in 1991, she visited several Catholic churches before finding a home at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, where she has spent 32 years in numerous roles, including Director of Religious Education (DRE), a Lector, and a Eucharistic Minister.

“I also work with the youth when it comes to dance and sometimes choir, in addition to working in the atmosphere of the church. I do a lot of shifting of plants and things like that,” said Aguillard.

She loves what she does for her church, as well as the children who attend there: “I love my children. I love the youth and their involvement in the parish,” said Aguillard.

Former Birmingham Mayor William Bell is a lifelong Catholic and has been member of Our Lady Fátima Catholic Church in Birmingham’s historic Titusville neighborhood for more than 60 years. (File)

William A. Bell

“It’s just a powerful moment,” said former Birmingham Mayor Bell, a member of Our Lady Fátima Catholic Church for more than 60 years. “To see someone [of Haitian descent] with African American roots become pope, it’s like the church is finally reflecting the body of Christ in all its diversity.”

Bell credits Pope Francis, who served for 12 years as the Vicar of Christ, an alternative title that means the pope represents Christ on earth, for paving the way.

“Pope Francis gave the Cardinals a more global vision. His leadership helped them see the church not just through the eyes of Rome but through the hearts of people from every corner of the world. That made Pope Leo XIV’s election possible.”

Bell, 75, a lifelong Catholic, said his family has been Catholic for generations, “but I’ve never seen something like this. It’s like watching history—like when Obama became president” in 2008.

The former mayor drew parallels between the election of Pope Leo XIV and a renewed sense of hope in the church.

“This isn’t just about where he’s from,” Bell said. “It’s about what he represents. A faith that embraces all people. A church that’s growing and evolving.”

One of the most talked-about aspects of the new pope is his choice of name — Leo — instead of following his predecessor in choosing to be Pope Francis II.

Bell said that choosing a name is deeply symbolic: “He chose Leo to honor both Pope Leo XIII, who served from 1878 to 1903 and was known for advocating for the poor, and St. Francis [of Assisi], who gave up everything for the sake of service. It sends a powerful message.”

Charles Benjamin outside Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Southwest Birmingham, (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

Charles Benjamin

Charles Benjamin, who attends Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Southwest Birmingham, said, “I’m a huge fan of Pope Francis, and I already love Pope Leo XIV.”

“He was elected so quickly because he’s real — you can see Christ in him,” He added. “He walks the walk and talks the talk. He’s a pope for the people.”

Benjamin highlighted how Pope Leo XIV’s leadership is grounded in Scripture, particularly the 25th chapter of Matthew, which emphasizes caring for the poor and marginalized.

“That’s who Pope Leo XIV is. He wants us to come together as one body in Christ, and he’s leading by example,” he said.

Learning about the pope’s Haitian roots and Creole heritage has also inspired many.

“He’s bringing his own flavor to the name and to the office,” Benjamin added. “It’s exciting to see someone lead the church who reflects both where we’ve been and where we’re going.”

Edith Aguillard: A Lifelong Catholic on Being ‘Overwhelmed’ by a New Pope 

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Edith Aguillard inside St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Bessemer, Alabama. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times

When Edith Aguillard moved to Birmingham from New Orleans, Louisiana, nearly 35 years ago she knew exactly what she wanted to find in her new city — a Catholic church.

“I went to churches everywhere,” she recalled. “I attended a church in Hoover, [Alabama], where I lived, but it just didn’t fit. So, I searched and searched.”

Aguillard, who came to the Magic City to work for a telephone company, brought something else when she arrived. Her faith.

She’s been Catholic for as far back as she can remember and describes herself as a “cradle Catholic,” someone who has been a Catholic from birth, raised in a Catholic family, and typically received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion since she was “four weeks old,” said Aguillard, who found a home at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Bessemer, Alabama, where she has been a parishioner for 32 years.

Being raised in a Catholic family, she remembers walking in her “grandmother’s shadow.”

“It was the most blessed piece of my life,” said Aguillard. “The Catholic parish I belonged to in New Orleans actually started in the driveway of my grandparents’ home. I followed every step that [my grandmother] walked. I was attached to her hip when she went to church and to different things.

“There was a Novena, [an ancient tradition of devotional praying, a form of worship consisting of special prayers or services repeated for nine successive days], that we did on Tuesday to Our Lady of Fátima. … I would follow my grandmother carrying that bag that had all of the prayer cards with her up through my high school years. Once that’s been embedded in you, it’s really hard to turn it off. It doesn’t just wear off. It’s there forever.”

Edith Aguillard, Director Religious Education at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Bessemer, Alabama stands beside photo of the late Pope Francis. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

Hearing that Robert Francis Prevost had been elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church “was overwhelming for me. I grew up with Pope John Paul XXIII, [who served from 1958 to 1963 and was canonized as a saint by Pope Francis in 2014],” said Aguillard.

Of the recently installed Pope Leo XIV, she said, “I think Pope Leo XIV is going to continue the work of Pope Francis. I think he will definitely be a builder of bridges.”

One of the pope’s alternative titles is that of Supreme “Pontiff,” or “bridge-builder.” According to the website Catholics Share, “In ancient Rome, [Pontiff] referred to priests who connected the human and divine through rituals.”

Pope Leo XIV is the successor to Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina), who died on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 years old after serving 12 years at leader of the global Catholic community.

“Strong Foundation”

Pope Leo XIV — the first North American and first person of Haitian and African American descent elected to serve as the Vicar of Christ (an alternative title that means the pope represents Christ on earth) — also has ties to New Orleans, “where you could find a Catholic church on every corner,” Aguillard said.

“From the street that I lived on, you could find churches within like a 10-block radius. … Catholicism was one of the strongest things in New Orleans, where I grew up. We all went to Catholic elementary schools. We all went to Catholic high schools. We all went to Catholic colleges — not us, but my friends did.

“It’s important to know that [Pope Leo XIV] had such a strong foundation as a young child with Catholic teachings. I don’t know what his history was, what he did as a child. … Most of the young men, they grow up in a Catholic church, they become an altar server, they become a deacon, some become priests — they grow up in that life of Catholicism,” she said.

Aguillard, 73, added that life in the church has helped her in several ways.

“One of my favorite saints is St. Jude Thaddeus. … The Shrine of St. Jude is a big shrine in New Orleans, [and] people come from all over the world to go to that shrine. There’s a Novena that happens every Tuesday in the city of New Orleans, and you go to that shrine daily. I had five miscarriages before I had my son, so I started praying in Novena to St. Jude, asking him to intercede for me and bring me through a healthy delivery with a healthy child. My son is named Travis Jude Aguillard, [now 43].”

“Yes, we go to Jesus,” said Aguillard. “Yes, indeed, I pray to God. But I ask these saints that I know are in connection with God to intercede for us. That’s what we do with the Blessed Mother [Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ]. We ask her to intercede for us—‘Go to your son. Can you ask your son for something? Can you ask your son to do this?’”

She continued, “When I was going through those struggles with pregnancy, I went to St. Jude. He’s the saint of the impossible. He’s the saint of things that just don’t happen to people. You don’t have just Catholics that pray to St. Jude. You have non-Catholics that pray to St. Jude because they have gone and asked for intercession and had their prayers answered.”

Edith Aguillard looking up at the Blessed Mother Mary at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Bessemer, Alabama and tearfully recalling how the Blessed Mother intercedes in times of struggles and joy. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

“Love One Another”

Since moving to Birmingham, Aguillard has done more than attend church. She been on the board for the Office of Black Catholic Ministries; attended conferences, and workshops; and been involved with the National Black Catholic Congress. She also has been a Director of Religious Education (DRE) for the past 25 years for the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama, in addition to working with different youth projects.

“This past winter, my youth group collected clothes and brought clothes to [people dealing with homelessness] at Linn Park in Birmingham,” Aguillard said. “At the end of this summer, we’re going to do it again. … My youth project with them is to take care of the unhoused.”

There are a few lessons Aguillard wants her students to absorb.

“The love of God, the importance of knowing the Catholic faith, of knowing the growth of the Catholic faith, and the need for them to be involved in God’s plan,” she said. “God tells us we need to be humble, we need to be united, we need to take care of each other, we need to love one another unconditionally as He loves us, and that is the basic teaching for all of it.”

She added, “We also look at their academics to see what they do. I had one young lady … and a young man, [both of whom] attend John Carroll Catholic High School, and they’re enriched in their Catholic faith. … They want to learn more, they want to do more, they want to understand more. … The teachings that happen in the Catholic schools and the teachings that happen in the Catholic churches are critical to their growth as lifelong Catholics.”

One of the challenges facing the Catholic church, like for many houses of worship, is attracting more young people.

Aguillard said, “We’ve had several Catholics that have left for whatever reason. … The focus right now is getting those Catholics back into our churches, filling those pews. We pray for that at every morning mass, that we bring our Catholic people back to the Catholic faith. Some of our youth have pulled away from the church, … some of the kids want this ‘newness,’ and that’s what we’re trying to bring to the Catholic church — some newness and some freshness.”

Aguillard said Pope Francis was headed in that direction, and she expects Pope Leo XIV to continue by making the church more welcoming.

“What I’ve seen [from Pope Leo XIV] is that he is opening doors to the Vatican for political discussions for peace. [Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, and J.D. Vance, U.S. Vice President were recent visitors to the Vatican, which serves as the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church.] … He wants peace back into the world,” Aguillard said.

“I think that’s going to be one of his biggest focuses, working with these different entities of bringing peace. … I think he’s going to be paramount in some of those decisions to do that. To watch him and to listen to him, … when he started to talk about unity and started talking about peace and started talking about healing. … I’m going, ‘Hmm, you’re exactly what we’ve been praying about in all the churches.’ … I think we’re going to sit back and watch [Pope Leo XIV] make some strides in things that happen worldwide, and I’m ready for it.”

College Program for Black Women at Alabama and Tuskegee Canceled Weeks Before Start

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The Legacy program was a federally-funded program that encouraged Black girls to enter computer science. (Contributed)

By Williesha Morris | wmorris@al.com

Phanuelle Manuel said having a fellow Black woman as a mentor helped her visualize a future in computer science.

Manuel, and hundreds of other high school students, received training, mentorship and support on Advanced Placement tests as part of a national effort to encourage more Black women to enter computer science.

“I could see myself succeeding in the future,” said Manuel, who is now a freshman at the University of Alabama. “I would say it’s a lot more encouraging seeing somebody do it first that looks like you.”

UA and Tuskegee University were two of seven colleges that offered programming funded by one of the grants terminated by the National Science Foundation in April. Now the $3.5 million program has come to a halt, weeks before students were set to arrive on UA’s campus in June.

“I already had the dorms reserved and the meal plan set up, and we even were starting applications,” said Jeff Gray, the program’s primary investigator and a computer science professor at the College of Engineering. “Some of us have spent 300 or so hours on the project.”

The Legacy program, a collaboration between seven predominantly white and historically Black colleges, planned to work with 600 students from Mississippi, Ohio, Michigan and Alabama through 2028. The year-long program included mentorship from leaders at companies like Intel and training on computing and coding.

Black women make up “only 3 percent of the tech workforce. And even fewer Black women have leadership roles in Silicon Valley,” according to the United Negro College Fund.

Legacy was an expansion of an Alabama program that began in 2019. Initial results showed 72 percent of 71 of the Black girls who participated received a score of 3 or higher on the AP test. They outpaced the national average score for every other group, including white and Asian males, according to Mohammed Qazi, one of the project’s faculty organizers at Tuskegee University.

“We’d Have To Pivot”

Once President Donald Trump issued an executive order telling universities to stop race-specific programming, Gray tried to pivot and keep the program open.

“We knew if we wanted to keep it alive at least for the next year, we’d have to pivot,” Gray said. Gray is an associate professor at UA and has been doing outreach to K-12 students for 20 years. “So we expanded it to all genders, all races. And then the week after we did that we got terminated.”

Alabama is one of the top five computer science education states in the country, according to Gray, who said the program was a great fit for Gov. Kay Ivey’s initiative to improve computer science opportunities in the state. As of fall 2024, there are 1,100 students studying computer science at UA, according to the school’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.

He said the program focused on “equity of opportunity” to help students who have the aptitude but were unaware of careers in computer science.

“We were just trying to open doors,” Gray said.

Qazi said the program’s objectives were expansive. They were not trying to turn every student into a computer scientist but instead help students explore the topic in depth and find role models.

“Our role is to also remove the barriers to access,” Qazi said. “Often in these rural communities there’s not the type of mentoring that is available in the more affluent districts.”

“Community And Sisterhood”

Most importantly, Qazi said, the project creates a bond between the girls that doesn’t end when the program is over.

“That aspect of community and sisterhood played a very big role in the success of the project,” Qazi said.

The program was more than about academic coursework and training but about making social connections “that had a tremendous impact” on the program’s success, he said.

Manuel made friends that she stays in touch with. Her older sister, Phaedra, also participated in the program and got interested in computer science. Phaedra started a computer science club at Hoover High School and Manuel joined it, too.

“I wasn’t into computer science,” Manuel said. “Computers and technology were cool, but it wasn’t my thing. A lot of the things my sister did guided me into my career path.”

She said many students get frustrated and bogged down with programming, but she reveled in it.

“I always tell people around me that I’d rather struggle with my code for hours than pretty much do anything else, because it’s a very rewarding experience,” Manuel said. She entered UA as a Randall Research Scholar, an Honors College program for students interested in the computing field.

Manuel learned about the grant cancellation while attending the National Center for Women & Information Technology conference. She was a keynote speaker and said she was disappointed and shocked when Gray told her.

“My mind is still kind of reeling about it, because it was such an integral part of my life and my sister’s life,” Manuel said. “And getting to know Dr. Gray through that program is the reason why I attend UA at all.”

Qazi said he’s devastated and hopes other opportunities emerge to continue the project in compliance with the federal government.

“We need funding, because we have to provide compensation to the teacher leaders. We have to provide these resources,” he said.

“The ones who are going to suffer are the students,” Qazi said. “We’ll survive as faculty, but the students are not going to get the support they need, unfortunately. Both financial and also career building, that support is gone. That’s what’s very disheartening. Those who are the least privileged continue to suffer.”

Manuel said backlash against DEI programming won’t deter her from surrounding herself with Black people and women in computer science and work towards achieving her goals.

“No matter what the government says, what restrictions say, I know that I belong in this field, and I know that I love this field,” Manuel said. “I’m not going to change my interests because someone out there thinks I can’t accomplish this or I don’t deserve to accomplish this.”