Juneteenth and Birmingham: A Legacy of Freedom and Resilience

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June 20, 2025

june MNJ-8 — Birmingham Civil Rights Institute drew families to its special activities throughout the day including access to its historic galleries and stories of those who fought for Civil Rights. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

By Don Rhodes II | The Birmingham Times

As the nation commemorated Juneteenth, the historic day marking the end of slavery in the United States, Birmingham stands as a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for freedom, said Barry McNealy, historical content expert at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, on Thursday, said during a day of festivities at the institute.

McNealy, who also teaches history at A.H. Parker High School, shared his reflections on the significance of Juneteenth and how it resonates deeply with the city’s legacy.

“Birmingham is a testament to freedom, and to the idea that people once believed it would never come,” he said. “From 1937 to 1963, Bull Connor (the public safety commissioner for the city of Birmingham) ruled this city with an iron hand. People used to say, ‘If Connor couldn’t get you with the police by day, he’d get you with the Klan by night.’”

But hope pushed back against oppression, McNealy said. “When Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, Reverend Ralph Abernathy, and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came here in 1963, they brought an energy that overcame Bull Connor and the most segregated city in America,” McNealy said. “Just as enslaved people in Texas never thought they’d be free, many in Birmingham never believed they could be equal. And yet, look at what happened.”

Barry McNealy, historical content expert at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. (WVTM screengrab)

The historian detailed how the holiday got started.

“Juneteenth, June 19th, 1865 when General Gordon Granger moved west and issued General Order No. 3 was monumental,” McNealy explained. “During the Civil War, many Confederates took their enslaved people westward to avoid the reach of the Emancipation Proclamation. When Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with mostly Black Union troops, the announcement of freedom was so powerful that the people began celebrating right then and there.”

McNealy sees Juneteenth not only as a commemoration, but also as a teaching moment.

“Working here (at the BCRI), I’ve been able to learn more than I knew before,” he said. “The thing about this history is that it’s multifaceted and multilayered. No one knows all of it. But we introduce people to it.”

Each visitor brings an opportunity for shared growth, McNealy said. “As I learn [about Juneteenth and Birmingham] I and share it with people that come here, the more I share, the more I learn.”

“And as we’re learning to be inspired,” he said, “we also have to learn to protect it. There are those who would scrub, change, and hide this history. But this history can’t help us if we hide it.”

Reflecting on the broader meaning of Juneteenth and Black history, he closed with: “We have to understand that Black history is American history. This country’s story is inspirational to people around the world. We need to learn that we can be inspired by it, too.”

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute drew families to its special activities throughout the day including access to its historic galleries and stories of those who fought for Civil Rights. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

One of the Largest Catalogs of Black History Turns 100 in New York

By

Birmingham Times

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June 20, 2025

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dims.apnews — This photo provided by the New York Public Library shows the exterior of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York on May 7, 2025. (Jonathan Blanc/New York Public Library via AP)

By Jaylen Green | Associated Press

NEW YORK — It is one of the largest repositories of Black history in the country — and its most devoted supporters say not enough people know about it. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture hoped to change that Saturday, as it celebrated its centennial with a festival combining two of its marquee annual events.

The Black Comic Book Festival and the Schomburg Literary Festival ran across a full day and featured readings, panel discussions, workshops, children’s story times and cosplay, as well as a vendor marketplace. Saturday’s celebration took over 135th Street in Manhattan between Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell boulevards.

Founded in New York City during the height of the Harlem Renaissance, the Schomburg Center will spend the next year exhibiting signature objects curated from its massive catalog of Black literature, art, recordings and films.

Artists, writers and community leaders have gone to the center to be inspired, root their work in a deep understanding of the vastness of the African diaspora, and spread word of the global accomplishments of Black people.

It is also the kind of place that, in an era of backlash against race-conscious education and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, exists as a free and accessible branch of the New York Public Library system. It’s open to the public during regular business hours, but its acclaimed research division requires an appointment.

“The longevity the Schomburg has invested in preserving the traditions of the Black literary arts is worth celebrating, especially in how it sits in the canon of all the great writers that came beforehand,” said Mahogany Brown, an author and poet-in-residence at the Lincoln Center, who participated in the literary festival.

This photo provided by the New York Public Library shows an exhibit in the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York on May 6, 2025. (Jonathan Blanc/New York Public Library via AP)

On Saturday, Dr. Jenny Uguru, director of nursing quality at NYC Health and Hospitals, said the Schomburg Center “stands as an archive to celebrate, recognize and uplift what Black people bring to the table, will bring to future tables.”

For the centennial, the Schomburg’s leaders have curated more than 100 items for an exhibition that tells the center’s story through the objects, people, and the place — the historically Black neighborhood of Harlem — that shaped it. Those objects include a visitor register log from 1925-1940 featuring the signatures of Black literary icons and thought leaders, such as Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes; materials from the Fab 5 Freddy collection, documenting the earliest days of hip-hop; and actor and director Ossie Davis’ copy of the “Purlie Victorious” stage play script.

An audio guide to the exhibition has been narrated by actor and literacy advocate LeVar Burton, the former host of the long-running TV show “Reading Rainbow.”

Whether they are new to the center or devoted supporters, visitors to the centennial exhibition will get a broader understanding of the Schomburg’s history, the communities it has served, and the people who made it possible, said Joy Bivins, the Director of the Schomburg Center, who curated the centennial collection.

“Visitors will understand how the purposeful preservation of the cultural heritage of people of African descent has generated and fueled creativity across time and disciplines,” Bivins said.

Novella Ford, associate director of public programs and exhibitions, said the Schomburg Center approaches its work through a Black lens, focusing on Black being and Black aliveness as it addresses current events, theories, or issues.

“We’re constantly connecting the present to the past, always looking back to move forward, and vice versa,” Ford said.

Still, many people outside the Schomburg community remain unaware of the center’s existence — a concerning reality at a time when the Harlem neighborhood continues to gentrify around it and when the Trump administration is actively working to restrict the kind of race-conscious education and initiatives embedded in the center’s mission.

“We amplify scholars of color,” Ford said. “It’s about reawakening. It gives us the tools and the voice to push back by affirming the beauty, complexity, and presence of Black identity.”

Novella Ford associate director of public programs and exhibitions (left) and Subha Ahmed, poet and one of the lead instructors of the junior scholars (right) inside the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jaylen Green)

Founder’s donation seeds center’s legacy

The Schomburg Center has 11 million items in one of the oldest and largest collections of materials documenting the history and culture of people of African descent. That is a credit to founder Arturo Schomburg, an Afro-Latino historian born to a German father and African mother in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He was inspired to collect materials on Afro-Latin Americans and African American culture after a teacher told him that Black people lacked major figures and a noteworthy history.

Schomburg moved to New York in 1891 and, during the height of the Harlem Renaissance in 1926, sold his collection of approximately 4,000 books and pamphlets to the New York Public Library. Selections from Schomburg’s personal holdings, known as the seed library, are part of the centennial exhibition.

Ernestine Rose, who was the head librarian at the 135th Street branch, and Catherine Latimer, the New York Public Library’s first Black librarian, built on Schomburg’s donation by documenting Black culture to reflect the neighborhoods around the library.

Today, the library serves as a research archive of art, artifacts, manuscripts, rare books, photos, moving images and recorded sound. Over the years, it has grown in size, from a reading room on the third floor to three buildings that include a small theater and an auditorium for public programs, performances and movie screenings.

Aysha Schomburg, the great-granddaughter of the center’s founder, said she understands why many people still don’t know about the library. When her parents first met, her mother had no idea what was behind the walls of the Schomburg Center, even being from Harlem herself.

“This is with every generation,” Schomburg told The Associated Press while out at the festival on Saturday. “We have to make sure we’re intentional about inviting people in. So even the centennial festival, we’re bringing the Schomburg out literally into the street, into the community and saying, ‘here we are.’ ”

Youth scholars seen as key to center’s future

For years, the Schomburg aimed to uplift New York’s Black community through its Junior Scholars Program, a tuition-free program that awards dozens of youth from 6th through 12th grade. The scholars gain access to the center’s repository and use it to create a multimedia showcase reflecting the richness, achievements, and struggles of today’s Black experience.

It’s a lesser-known aspect of the Schomburg Center’s legacy. That’s in part because some in the Harlem community felt a divide between the institution and the neighborhood it purports to serve, said Damond Haynes, a former coordinator of interpretive programs at the center, who also worked with the Junior Scholars Program. But Harlem has changed since Haynes started working for the program about two decades ago.

“The Schomburg was like a castle,” Haynes said. “It was like a church, you know what I mean? Only the members go in. You admire the building.”

For those who are exposed to the center’s collections, the impact on their sense of self is undeniable, Haynes said. Kids are learning about themselves like Black history scholars, and it’s like many families are passing the torch in a right of passage, he said.

“A lot of the teens, the avenues that they pick during the program, media, dance, poetry, visual art, they end up going into those programs,” Haynes said. “A lot the teens actually find their identity within the program.”

Birmingham Fashion Trailblazers Honored During Night of Legends

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Birmingham Times

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June 19, 2025

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Fashion 1a — From left: Kenya Buchanan, Robert Hill and Patricia Ashford. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

Stories and Photography by Marika N. Johnson | For The Birmingham Times

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute on Tuesday hosted A Night with Legacy, a paneled event sponsored by Network Navigators in conjunction with Prosper, a Birmingham nonprofit, that celebrated the contributions of local small business leaders in the fashion industry. The evening, held just before Juneteenth, paid tribute to the resilience and innovation of Birmingham’s fashion trailblazers.

The panel discussion, moderated by designer Kenya Buchanan of Kenya B, featured two iconic figures: Robert Hill of Robert Hill Custom Tailors and Patricia Ashford, owner of Ashford’s Fashions and Uniform Company. The event highlighted their enduring legacies and the challenges they overcame, from the Civil Rights era to the COVID-19 pandemic.

From left; Naila Jackson, founder of Network Navigators; Kenya Buchanan, Robert Hill and Patricia Ashford. (Marika N. Jackson, For The Birmingham Times)

Naila Jackson, founder of Network Navigators, emphasized the significance of the event: “In this current climate, fashion means expression, and it’s our way of letting people know where we stand and how we feel. Tonight was a great way, leading up to Juneteenth, to hear from our city’s legends who planted the seeds and led the way, giving us the opportunity to learn from their stories, how they persevered, and their consistency in their business practices. They are survivors who refused to quit.”

Reflecting on the recognition, Hill said: “I was surprised, but these honors have been a long time coming. I’m truly grateful for the Vogue article and tonight’s event.”

Hill was recently featured in Vogue’s April 2025 article, “The Black Tailors Who’ve Kept Dandyism Alive for Decades” ahead of this year’s Met Gala theme, Black Dandyism.

He added with a chuckle, “I thought the call from Vogue Magazine was a mistake, but it’s opened so many doors.”

Tuesday’s event in Birmingham underscored the importance of celebrating local pioneers who have shaped the city’s fashion landscape while inspiring future generations to continue their legacy of creativity and perseverance. Kenya B. said, “listening to their stories of triumph… It’s a different day but the struggle is still the same and so taking just a part of their torch and running with it is all I need.”

BMA to Showcase Artistry of Southern Asian Silver with Exhibit Opening Sat. June 21

By

Birmingham Times

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June 19, 2025

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By Sym Posey

The Birmingham Times

The Birmingham Museum of Art has announced the opening of Silver & Ceremony from Southern Asia, 1830–1930, an exhibition featuring the collection of Harish K. Patel.

More than 150 suites of silver that will be on view from June 21 to Nov. 30, 2025.

Katherine Paul, The Virginia and William M. Spencer III Curator of Asian Art, said the connection between this exhibition helps connect things that are happening in South Asia with Birmingham’s history.

“He (Patel) was very interested in different regions of art artistry for Indian silver, but he also collected the kinds of things that I saw could really tell the story about railroads that transported the tea, the coffee and the sugar, and the pepper from the inside of India to the shores and steamships that could bring it around the world … and tell this 1800s story that is also important in Birmingham because Birmingham would not exist without the same kind of things that were happening for railroads in the city and steel and cast iron,” Paul said.

Krishna Fluting Finial, Durga Puja, and Saraswati Puja with Germanic Dragon Handles Trophy, about 1860, silver with gold wash interior. Birmingham Museum of Art, Generous gift of Harish K. Patel.

Between the 1830s and 1930s, silver from southern Asia not only reflected the era’s technological advancements — such as the advent of railways, steamships, and automobiles — but also celebrated innovations that reshaped everyday life.

The exhibition tells an untold story about many things that we consume every day that originated in India like sugar, pepper, fruit punch, certain types of tea and coffee, “but also how this artistry promoted those things to become some of the world’s most loved consumables,” said Paul.

She added that the exhibition is organized around four themes that reveal silver’s multifaceted role in society: silver’s integral contribution to religious arts; the sensorial arts, celebrating silver’s impact on the senses; aspirational arts, where silver objects such as awards and trophies exemplify social prestige; and revivalism in silver arts, illustrating how earlier styles from distant parts of the globe became the retro trends of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.

Monumental Beer Pitcher with Merman Matsya Avatar Upon a Lotus with Two Snake Handles and Kirtimukha Head Under Spout, about 1890, silver; Birmingham Museum of Art, Generous gift of Harish K. Patel,

In a statement, Paul said visitors will experience firsthand how people’s love of silver has been harnessed to promote many aspects of humanity’s aspirations and accomplishments through a southern Asian artistic lens.

In addition, elegant settings for drinking and dining will showcase treasures from the Museum’s renowned decorative arts collections, including furniture, wall hangings, and paintings.

Also, on Saturday, July 19, BMA will host Birmingham’s Dryft Coffee founder, Praveena Sundarraj for a discussion into the global world of coffee and tea with a tasting of global brews.

As a beverage developer, Praveena will discuss her childhood growing up on a fourth-generation tea farm in India, which led to her developing her career in coffee.

This is a ticketed event.

“She can really offer this amazing experience for people who want to take different types of coffees and different types of tea,” said Paul.

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June 19, 2025

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Birmingham Times

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June 18, 2025

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Birmingham, Alabama, USA downtown city skyline. — 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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Director of Ticketing Operations

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

BT06/19/2025

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Ticket Office Supervisor

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

BT06/19/2025

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City Walk Ambassador – Part-time

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

BT06/19/2025

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HIRING STEEL IRONWORKERS

“We are HIRING EXPERIENCED Structural Steel Ironworkers in Cullman, AL. Tools & experience is required! If interested please call 1-800-633-1780!”

BT06/19/2025

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HIRING CRANE OPERATORS

“We are HIRING EXPERIENCED Crane Operators in Cullman, AL. Must be able to operate Terex HC 110 Crane. If interested please call 1-800-633-1780!”

BT06/19/2025

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Food Preparation

Boston Fish and Wings seeks Food Preparation Worker in Birmingham, AL.

No education required. One month of training is required.

Responsible for preparing food items for line cooks, including cutting, seasoning, and cooking wings and fish. Duties include following recipes, ensuring food safety standards, maintaining a clean work area, and assisting with inventory and kitchen tasks.

Fluency in Arabic, both written and spoken, preferred in Yemeni dialect.

Annual salary: $26,728.00.

Send resume to: 144boston.fish.wings@gmail.com

BT06/19/2025

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Sr. Network Administrator

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

BT06/19/2025

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LEGAL

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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

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901692

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, GEORGE MORRISON AND HIS HEIRS AND DEVISEES, IF DECEASED, LUCILLE P. MORRISON AND HER HEIRS AND DEVISEES, IF DECEASED, J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR, 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,

The Birmingham Land Bank Authority (the “Land Bank”), a public corporation organized under the laws of the State of Alabama, filed a Petition to Quiet Title and Foreclosure (the “Petition”) on the property described herein on April 28, 2025, in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County and recorded a Notice of Pending Quiet Title and Foreclosure Action (the “Lis Pendens”) on March 11, 2025, in the Probate Court of Jefferson County Alabama. Notice is hereby given that a final hearing was set to be heard on August 4, 2025 at 10:00 A.M. at the Jefferson County Courthouse, Courtroom 340, 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard, North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203. The property that is the subject of this hearing is described as follows:

Property Address: 1425 17th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

Tax Parcel ID No.: 22-00-26-1-024-002.000 a/k/a 01220026102400020000000

Legal Description: The West 125 feet of the South 50 feet of the North 200 feet if Block lying between 14th and 15th avenues, north, and 17th street and Allen Street, as shown by map of property belonging to the J.M. Ware Estate, as recorded in Deed Volume 158, Page 131, in the Office of the Huge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama a/k/a POB 150 FT S E OF THE S E INTER OF 14TH AVE N & 17TH ST N TH S E 50 FT ALG 17TH ST N TH N E 125 FT TH N W 50 FT TH S W 125 FT TO POB LYING IN SW 1/4 OF NE 1/4 S-26 T-17 R-3

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 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 §§ 40-10-83 (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 FIVE-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION. The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 20^th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203 and may be contacted care of the City of Birmingham Law Department at 205-254-2117.

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901647

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: HENRIETTA RICHARDSON (DECEASED) AND HER HEIRS AND DEVISEES, EFFIE LEE (DECEASED) AND HER HEIRS AND DEVISEES, KAMAU EAR AFRIKA, ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, J.T. SMALLWOOD, JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR, 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,

The Birmingham Land Bank Authority (the “Land Bank”), a public corporation organized under the laws of the State of Alabama, filed a Petition to Quiet Title and Foreclosure (the “Petition”) on the property described herein on April 24, 2025, in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County and recorded a Notice of Pending Quiet Title and Foreclosure Action (the “Lis Pendens”) on May 27, 2025, in the Probate Court of Jefferson County Alabama. Notice is hereby given that a final hearing was set to be heard on July 17, 2025 at 11:15 A.M. at the Jefferson County Courthouse, Courtroom 340, 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard, North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203. The property that is the subject of this hearing is described as follows:

Property Address: 115 10th Court N, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

Tax Parcel ID No.: 22-00-34-1-012-002.000 a/k/a 0122003410120020000000

Legal Description: Lot 5, Block 21, according to the Survey of North Smithfield, as recorded in Map Book 1, Page 149, in the Probate Office of Jefferson County, Alabama, a/k/a LOT 5 BLK 21 SMITHFIELD (NORTH).

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 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 §§ 40-10-83 (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 FIVE-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION. The address of the Birmingham Land Bank Authority is City Hall, 710 20^th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203 and may be contacted care of the City of Birmingham Law Department at 205-254-2117.

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901926.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: PHILLIP W. HILL; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF DAVE STALLWORTH; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF LEOLA STALLWORTH; TUCKER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC.; 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 May 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: 1909 Stouts Road, Birmingham, Alabama 35234

Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-22-00-23-4-025-003.000

Legal Description: Lot 2308 and also fractional lot lying between Lot 2308 and Stouts Road. Said lot being in the South part of the block lying South of 20^th Avenue as shown by map of M. A. Mays Property as recorded in Map Book 1, Page 133 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. 2020086452 as follows: P O B 178 FT S SE OF SE INTER 20^TH AVE N & STOUTS RD TH SE 100 FT ALG STOUTS RD TH NE 40 FT S TH NW 96.7 TO ALLEY TH SW 80 FT S TO P O B BEING LOT 2308 M A MAY SUR & ADD PT M A MAY 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 August 15, 2025, in Room 340, Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama at 9:00 A.M. The judgment of the Court may result in title to the property vesting in the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. Any person who proves to the Court’s satisfaction a right to redeem the property pursuant to Alabama Code §§ 40-10-73 (1975) et seq. or Alabama Code §§ 40-10-83 (1975) et seq. may redeem the property pursuant to those statutes within five (5) days after the appropriate Order on Final Hearing is issued. FAILURE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY AND PRESENT PROOF OF REDEMPTION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN THE 5-DAY PERIOD MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.

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

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

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901117

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: MARGUERITE MOSLEY; ESTATE OF WILBERT MOSLEY; 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 March 24, 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 31, in Block 9, according to the Survey of Druid Hills, being Sudduth Realty Company’s Sixth Addition, 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 as follows: LOT 31 BLK 9 DRUID HILLS SUDDUTH RLTY COS 6TH ADD TO BHAM

and assigned Parcel ID No. 22-00-26-1-003-014.000

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 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 20^th 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.

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901120

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: ESTATE OF BETTY FANCHER; 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 March 24, 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:

Begin 305 feet North of the Northeast intersection of Druid Hill Drive and 20th Street North; thence Northerly 50.8 feet; thence Easterly 139.2 feet; thence Southerly 43.5 feet; thence Westerly 150.8 feet to the point of beginning; being a part of Lots 38 and 39, Block 9 of Druid Hills, as recorded in Map Book 14 Page 3 in the Probate Office of Jefferson County, Alabama.

It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument Number 2019111398 as follows: BEG 305S FT N OF NE INTER OF DRUID HILL DRIVE & 20TH ST NORTH THENCE N-50.8 E LY-139.2S S LY-43.5 FT W 150.8 FT TO POB BEING PART OF LOTS 38 AND 39 BLK 9 DRUID HILLS

and assigned Parcel ID No. 22-00-26-1-003-020.000

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 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 20^th 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.

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901249

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: MICHAEL E. JOHNSON; MEDICAL WEST; 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 41, Block 9, of 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 2019111466 as follows: LOT 41 BLK 9 DRUID HILLS

and assigned Parcel ID No. 22-00-26-1-003-023.000

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 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 20^th 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.

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901495

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: MARNITA J. RILEY; MOORING TAX ASSET GROUP; 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:

The West 40 feet of the North-half of Lot 3, according to the Survey of Copeland and Henry, as recorded in Deed Volume 71, Page 303, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, being more particularly described as follows: Begin at the Northwest corner of said Lot 3, thence Easterly along the South side of Charles Street (now known as 15th Avenue) as shown on said map, 40 feet; thence Southerly and at right angle of said avenue 50 feet; thence Westerly parallel to said avenue 40 feet to an alley; thence Northerly along the East line of said alley 50 feet to the point of beginning.

It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument Number 2019111600 as follows: W 40 FT OF N 1/2 OF LOT 3 COPELAND & HENRY SURVEY

and assigned Parcel ID No. 22-00-26-1-026-001.000

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 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 20^th 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.

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901498

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: ESTATE OF EDDIE G. FOSTER; ESTATE OF DELORIS D. FOSTER; NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA, N.A., AS TRUSTEE UNDER THAT CERTAIN POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 1997, FOR SOUTHERN PACIFIC SECURED ASSETS CORP., MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 1997-1; 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 map and survey of Sudduth Realty Company’s Fifth Addition, as the same is recorded in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, in Map Book 13, page 83.

It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument Number 2019111743 as follows: LOT 10 BLK 4 SUDDUTH RLTY CO 5TH ADD

and assigned Parcel ID No. 22-00-26-1-008-015.000

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 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 20^th 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.

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901924.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: MACKIE W. PARKER a/k/a M.W. PARKER a/k/a W.M. PARKER; MARTIE C. PARKER; BUDDY PARKER, ELIZABETH MALONE, TIM PARKER, and JIM PARKER, as heirs of GARY NELSON PARKER, SR.; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF GARY NELSON PARKER, SR.; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF LINDA PARKER; PAUL AZZOUNI, RENEE AZZOUNI WILLIAMS, and SHELLEY AZZOUNI, as heirs of EDMOND AZZOUNI; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF EDMOND AZZOUNI; CAPITAL ONE BANK (USA); BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as successor to MBNA AMERICA; THE PEOPLES BANK AND TRUST 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 May 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: 821 Apalachee Street, Birmingham, Alabama 35222

Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-23-00-19-4-006-003.000

Legal Description: Lot 13 Blk 6 East Birmingham Land Co., situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2024106777 as follows: LOT 13 BLK 6 EAST BHAM)

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 September 29, 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 20^th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

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

BT06/19/2025

______________________________

CASE NO. CV-2025-901927.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: WORRELL’S INCORPORATED; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF PAUL S. WORRELL; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF SYLVIA D. WORRELL; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF LILLIAN C. RUMORE; WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as successor to SOUTHTRUST 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 May 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: 1703 5^th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-22-00-26-2-021-003.000

Legal Description: Part of the Northwest Quarter (NW ¼) of the Northwest Quarter (NW ¼) of Section 26, Township 17, Range 3 West, and being part of the South end of the McDaniel 6 acre tract of land located in the Northeast (NE) corner of said Northwest Quarter (NW ¼) of the Northwest Quarter (NW ¼) of said Section, Township and Range, and particularly described as follows: Begin at a point 213 ½ feet West of the Southeast (SE) corner of said McDaniel 6 acre tract; thence West 200 feet; thence North 90 feet; thence East 210 feet; thence South 40 feet; thence West 10 feet; thence South 50 feet to the point of beginning; said 6 acre tract being same conveyed by Susan Hudson, et al to Richard Jones on January 6, 1881, recorded in Book 39, Page 92, in the Office of the Probate Judge of Jefferson County, Alabama, and being the same tract or lot conveyed to Aaron Ash by J. W. Clemmons and wife by foreclosure deed dated October 31, 1914, and recorded in Volume 780, Page 582, of said Probate Records, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 2018003564 as follows: COMM AT SE INT VILLAGE ST & 5^TH ST N THENCE S 30 FT S TO POB THENCE E 210 FT S S 40 FT S W 10 FT S S 50 FT S W 200 FT S N 90 FT S TO BEG, and also known as COM AT SE INT VILLAGE ST & 5^TH ST N THENCE S 30 FT S TO POB TH E 210S FT TH S 40 FT TH SW 10S FT TH S 50 FT TH SW 200S FT TH N 90S FT TO BEG)

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 September 29, 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 20^th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

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

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-902101.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: DORIS GALE POPE, NORMAN EDWARD POPE, and RODNEY C. POPE, as heirs of NORMA ANNE POPE; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF NORMA ANNE POPE; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF PAUL CROSBY; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF SAMUEL CROSBY; 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: 1907 18^th Place North, Birmingham, Alabama 35234

Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-22-00-23-4-005-030.000

Legal Description: The South ½ of Lot 11, according the Survey of Bellevue, as shown by map recorded in Deed Volume 74, Page 362, 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. 2017095450 as follows: S 1/2 OF LOT 11 W J VANN BELVIEW)

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 September 29, 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 20^th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

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

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-901924.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: MACKIE W. PARKER a/k/a M.W. PARKER a/k/a W.M. PARKER; MARTIE C PARKER; BUDDY PARKER; ELIZABETH MALONE, TIM PARKER, and JIM PARKER, as heirs of GARY NELSON PARKER, SR.; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF GARY NELSON PARKER SR.; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF LINDA PARKER; PAUL AZZOUNI, RENEE AZZOUNI WILLIAMS, and SHELLY AZZOUNI, as h airs of EDMOND AZZOUNI; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF EDMOND AZZOUNI; CAPITOL ONE BANK (USA); BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as successor to MBNA AMERICA; THE PEOPLES BANK AND TRUST 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 May 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: 821 Appleseed Street, Birmingham, Alabama 35222

Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-23-00-19-4-006-003.000

Legal Description: Lot 13 Blk 6 East Birmingham Land Co., situation in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears said legal is the same as the certain legal described in Instrument No. 2024106777 as follows: LOT 13 BLK 6 EAST BHAM )

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 September 29, 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 20^th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

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

BT06/19/2025

______________________________

CASE NO. CV-2025-901927.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: WORRELL’S INCORPORATED; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF PAUL S. WORRELL; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF SYLVIA D. WORRELLL UNKNOWN HEIRS OF LILLIAN C. RUMORE; WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as successor to SOUTHTRUST 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 May 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: 1703 5th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama 35204

Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-22-00-26-2-021-003.000

Legal Description: Part of Northwest Quarter (NW 1/4) of Northwest Quarter (NW 1/4) of Section 26, Township 17, Range 3West, and being part of the South end of the McDaniel 6 acre tract of land located in the Northeast (NE) corner of said Northwest Quarter (NW 1/4) of the Northwest Quarter (NW 1/4) if said Section, Township and Range, and particularly described as follows: Begin at the point 213 1/2 feet West of the Southeast (SE) corner of said McDaniel 6 acre tract; West 200 feet; thence North 90 feet; thence East 210 feet; thence South 40 feet; thence West 10 feet; thence South 50 feet to the point of beginning; said 6 acre tract being same conveyed by Susan Hudson, et al to Richard Jones on January 6, 1881, recorded in Book 39, Page 92 in the Office of the Probate Judge of Jefferson County, Alabama, and being the same tract or lot conveyed to Aaron Ashby J.W. Clemmons and wife by foreclosure deed dated October 31, 1914, and recorded in volume 780, Page 582, of said Probate Records, situated in Jefferson County, Alabama (It appears legal is the same as that certain legal described in Instrument No. 201803564 as follows: COMM AT SE INT VILLAGE ST & 5TH ST N THENCE S 30 FT S TO POB THENCE E 210 FT S S 40 FT S W 10 FT S S 50 FT S W 200FT S N 90 FT S TO BEG, and also known as COM AT SE INT VILLAGE ST & 5TH ST N THENCE S 30 FT S TO POB TH E 210 S FT TH S 40 FT TH SW 10S FT TH S 50 FT TH SW 200S FT TH 90S FT TO BEG)

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 September 29, 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 20^th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

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

BT06/19/2025

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CASE NO. CV-2025-902101.00

NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION

TO: DORIS GALE POPE, NORMAN EDWARD POPE, and RODNEY C. POPE, as heirs of NORMA ANNE POPE; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF NORMA ANNE POPE; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF PAUL CROSBY; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF SAMUEL CROSBY; 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: 1907 18th Place North, Birmingham, Alabama 35234

Tax Parcel ID No.: 01-22-00-23-4-005-030.000

Legal Description: The South 1/2 of Lot 11, according the Survey of Bellevue, as shown by map recorded in Deed Volume 74, Page 362, in the Office of the Judge or 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. 2017095450 as follows: S 1/2 OF LOT 11 W J VANN BELVIEW)

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 September 29, 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 20^th St., Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Land Bank Authority may be contacted care of Cherokee W. Wooley, Law Offices of Thomas J. Skinner, IV, LLC, at (205) 802-2545.

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

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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.

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Notice of Completion

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

that Williford Orman Construction LLC , Contractor, has completed the Contract for Construction of Addition and Renovation to Band and Choir for Oak Mountain Middle School at Shelby County for the State of Alabama and the County of Shelby, Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Lathan Associates Architects PC

Williford Orman Construction LLC

(Contractor)

______PO Box 1985, Pelham, AL 35124

(Business Address)

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Notice of Completion

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

that Williford Orman Construction LLC , Contractor, has completed the Contract for (Construction) of ALDOT New Storm Shelters Birmingham and Calera Alabama

at Birmingham and Calera for the State of Alabama and the (County) of Jefferson and 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 Goodwyn Mills Cawood LLC

Williford Orman Construction LLC

(Contractor)

______PO Box 1985, Pelham, AL 35124

(Business Address)

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Notice of Completion

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

that Williford Orman Construction LLC , Contractor, has completed the Contract for (Construction) of Classroom Additions to Calera Middle School at Montevallo for the State of Alabama and the (County) of Shelby, Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Lathan Associates Architects.

Williford Orman Construction LLC

(Contractor)

______PO Box 1985, Pelham, AL 35124

(Business Address)

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Notice of Completion

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

that Williford Orman Construction LLC , Contractor, has completed the Contract for (Construction) of Office Addition to Chelsea High School at Chelsea for the State of Alabama and the (County of Shelby, Owner(s), and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Lathan Associates Architects

Williford Orman Construction LLC

(Contractor)

______PO Box 1985, Pelham, AL 35124

(Business Address)

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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 Crump Senior Center at 1751 Congressman WL Dickinson Dr, Montgomery, AL 36104 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 Johnny B. Raines, III, Barganier Davis Williams Architects Associated.

A.G. Gaston Construction Company, INC

(Contractor)

1820 3rd Avenue North, Suite 400

Birmingham, AL 35203

(Business Address)

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INVITATION TO BID

BIRMINGHAM-SHUTTLESWORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Terminal Restroom and SARA Renovations Project

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:

Birmingham Airport Authority

5900 Messer Airport Highway

Birmingham, AL 35212

Until 2:00 PM CST, Thursday, June 26^th, 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 goal of the project is to complete full renovation including, but not limited to, new flooring, vents, fixtures, stalls, and lighting to each restroom and the SARA facility within the BHM terminal secured area. Each restroom will be stripped to the studs and reconstructed with enhanced fixtures and features that meet ADA design standards and provide for an enhanced passenger experience to the approximately 1.5 million passengers at BHM.

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HOUSING AUTHORITY BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT NOTICE OF INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) No. B25023 On-Call HVAC Maintenance and Repairs
AGENCY CONTACT PERSON	Kozette Todd, Procurement Analyst Telephone: (205)521-0762 E-mail: ktodd@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	Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 3:00 PM CT
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS	Friday, June 27, 2025, 3:00 PM CT
BID SUBMITTAL RETURN DEADLINE	Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 3:00 PM CT 1826 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, Al 35233
[Section 3, Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]

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INVITATION TO BID

ITB# 67-25 “GROUND KEEPING SERVICES”

JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL

Bids will be received by the Jefferson County Commission Purchasing Agent Michael D. Matthews Ph.D., C.P.M., until 10:00 (CST) a.m./ on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, for ITB 67-25 Grounds Keeping Services.

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

All questions must be submitted in writing to procurementservices@jccal.org attention Valerie Henderson.

A pre-bid conference will be held Monday, June 23, 2025 at 9:00a.m.(CST) in ESD Suite A-300 Annex of the Jefferson County Main Courthouse, 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd N., Birmingham AL 35203.

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INVITATION TO BID

The City of Birmingham will accept sealed bids for City Hall Exterior Lighting Upgrades at 710 N 20^TH Street Birmingham, AL 35203. Bids will be received by the City Architect in Room 220 Birmingham City Hall, Birmingham, Alabama until 3:00 PM, Thursday July 17, 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 Room 220 City Hall at approximately 3:10 PM.

A Pre-bid Conference to review and discuss the project will be held at 3:00 PM on Tuesday July 1, 2025 in Conference Room 220-Birmingham City Hall 710 20^th 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.

All bids must be on a lump sum basis. Bids are to be submitted in duplicate on the Proposal Form provided with specifications. No pre-qualification of bidders will be conducted prior to receiving bids.

Under the Alabama State Code, Section 39-2-4, as amended by Act #97-225, it is required for any contract exceeding $50,000 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 (subject to a maximum of $50,000.00) equal to five percent (5%) of the bid. 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: City Hall Exterior Lighting Upgrades. Bids 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 3:00 PM, July 17, 2025. Bids received after this time will not be considered.

Gary C. Ohlman, City Architect

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ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed proposals will be received by Birmingham Board of Education, Central Administration Building, 2015 Park Place North, Birmingham, Alabama, 35203; UNTIL 2:00 PM Local Time; on Thursday, July 10, 2025, for:

BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS: CAPITOL IMPROVEMENTS GROUP 4 – BID PACKAGES 1, 2. & 3

Bid Package 1

Arrington Elementary School Wenonah High School

Bid Package 2

Brown Elementary School Bush Hills Steam Academy

Central Park Elementary School Minor Elementary School Princeton Elementary School

Bid Package 3

Jackson-Olin High School

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

The project includes, but is not limited to, miscellaneous repairs and improvements to the following schools:

A cashier’s check or bid bond payable to Birmingham City Schools, Birmingham, Alabama, 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, and insurance in compliance with requirements, will be required at the signing of the Contract.

Drawings and Specifications will be available after Monday, June 16, 2025; and may be examined at Alabama Graphics https://www.algraphics.com/digital-plan-room.

Bidders may obtain documents from Alabama Graphics, for a non-refundable cost equal to the cost of printing. Other sets for general contractors, and sets for subs and dealers, may be obtained at the same amount. Partial sets will not be available.

Bids must be submitted on proposal forms furnished by the Architect or copies thereof. All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding that established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must be licensed under the Provision of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended, and must show such evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received or considered by Architect or Owner; The bidder shall show such evidence by clearly displaying their current license number on the outside of the sealed envelope in which the proposal is delivered; Bidder must also include their current license number on the Proposal Form. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids for a period of NINETY (90) days.

A PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at the same location where bids will be received, at 2:00 PM, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, for the purpose of reviewing the project and answering Bidder’s questions. Attendance at the Pre-Bid Conference is not required for all General Contractor Bidders but is highly recommended.

This project is being bid without sales taxes according to Act 2013-205 (of the Alabama Legislature). However, sales tax for the base bid and all other bid items must be accounted for on the contractor’s Bid Proposal Form. ABC Form C-3A indicates how the sales tax shall be accounted for on the bid proposal form and shall be modified by the project architect as appropriate for bid items on each project.

Completion Time: Work shall commence on the earlier of either the date of the owner’s written “Notice to Proceed” or the contractor’s receipt of the fully executed contract and shall be “Substantially Complete” within 240 Consecutive Calendar Days thereafter.

Supervision: Contractor to provide Superintendent(s) to ensure proper supervision for all work.

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

Owner: Birmingham Board of Education

2015 Park Place North Birmingham, Alabama 35203

Phone: (205) 231-4885

For Questions concerning drawings contact the Architect:

Dorsey Architects & Associates Inc.

2301 1st Ave. North, Suite 101

Birmingham, AL 35203

Phone: (205) 250-7100

Clay R. Dorsey, AIA

Wesley Henry, Project Manager

cdorsey@dorseyarchitects.com

wesleyh@dorseyarchitects.com

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The Birmingham Airport Authority (“BAA” or “Authority”) is requesting proposals (RFP) for supply and installation of a new Flight Information Display System (FIDS) 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. The proposal deadline is July 7, 2025 @2:00PM.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The Birmingham Airport Authority (“BAA” or “Authority”) is requesting proposals (RFP) for a new Public Announcement System (PA) 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. There will be a mandatory pre-submittal meeting and site visit on July 10, 2025, at 2:00PM located at 5900 Messer Airport Highway, Birmingham, AL 35212 at 2:00PM in Meeting Room A. Deadline for proposals will be July 23, 2025, at 2:00PM.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

FORM 854 FILE Number: A1316022

Branch Towers VI, LLC is proposing to construct a 275’ Self-Support Tower located 41 Yards North of Jolley Road & 642 Yards East of Bluff Ridge Road, Bessemer, AL, Jefferson County, 35022. Per FAA regulations, this tower is required to be lit.

Interested persons may review the pending application by going to www.fcc.gov/asr/applications and entering the Form 854 File Number listed above. Interested persons may raise environmental concerns about the proposed structure by filing a Request for Environmental Review with the Federal Communications Commission. The Federal Communications Commission strongly encourages interested parties to file Requests for Environmental Review online. Instructions for making such filings can be found at www.fcc.gov/asr/environmentalrequest

Interested parties that would prefer to file a Request for Environmental Review by paper copy can submit to: FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12^th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554

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STATE OF CONNECTICUT

SUPERIOR COURT

JUVENILE MATTERS

Notice to: Ronald Horn, alleged father of male child born on 4/6/2017 to Shufon S.-W. in Alabama,

of parts unknown.

A petition has been filed seeking:

Commitment of minor child(ren) of the above named or vesting of custody and care of said child(ren) of the above named in a lawful, private or public agency or a suitable and worthy person.

The petition, whereby the court’s decision can affect your parental rights, if any, regarding minor child(ren) will be heard on: 6/20/2025 at 9:00 a.m. at 20 Franklin Sq. 3rd Floor, New Britain CT 06051.

Hearing on an Order of Temporary Custody will be heard on: 7/24/2025 at 2:15 p.m. at 20 Franklin Sq. 3rd Floor, New Britain CT 06051.

Therefore, ORDERED, that notice of the hearing of this petition be given by publishing this Order of Notice once, immediately upon receipt, in the: Birmingham Times, a newspaper having a circulation in the town/city of: Birmingham, AL.

Judge: Hon. Hilliary Strackbein

Signed: Nicole Hayes, Deputy Clerk

Date signed: 6/11/2025

Right to counsel: Upon proof of inability to pay for a lawyer, the court will make sure that an attorney is provided to you by the Chief Public Defender. Request for an attorney should be made immediately in person, by mail, or by fax at the court office where your hearing is to be held.

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What Small Business Owners in Birmingham are Saying About Trump’s Tariffs

By

Birmingham Times

-

June 18, 2025

0

SmallBiz 1 — From left: Zebbie Carney, owner, Eugene's Hot Chicken; Melissa Kendrick, owner, Sojourns Fair Trade; Congresswoman Terri Sewell, Representative, 7th Congressional District of Alabama; Dr. Patrick Murphy, Goodrich Chair, Professor, UAB; Selena Rodgers Dickerson, President, SARCOR LLC. (Don Rhodes II, The Birmingham Times)

By Don Rhodes II | The Birmingham Times

Melissa Kendrick, owner of Sojourns Fair Trade on Crestwood Blvd., told a Small Business Roundtable in Birmingham on Tuesday that tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have hit her bottom line.

Kendrick, whose gift shop features items handmade by artisans around the world, said “I’m absorbing costs from the 10 percent tariff, which is affecting my profit margins. The uncertainty makes it challenging to plan for the future,” she said.

Zebbie Carney, owner of Eugene’s Hot Chicken, said rising food costs due to tariffs have forced him to reconsider pricing strategies. “We just have to be smart about how we do things and change how we do things,” he said. “We’ve had to raise our prices, and our customers have been supportive through this tough time.”

Congresswoman Terri Sewell, who represents Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District, hosted the roundtable at Innovation Deport and, expressed deep concern over the “reckless and sweeping tariffs” have impacted small businesses like those owned by Kendrick and Carney, she said. “These tariffs amount to the largest tax increase in American history, taking a horrible toll on our nation’s small businesses.”

Since Trump took office in January, employment in small businesses with fewer than 10 employees has decreased by 3 percent, equating to approximately 366,000 jobs lost, she said.

“Small businesses create pathways to opportunity, economic independence, and thriving local economies,” she said. “These tariffs are not just an attack on our small businesses; they are truly an attack on our economy and the American dream itself.”

Sewell moderated a panel that included Kendrick, Carney, Patrick J. Murphy, the Goodrich Chair and head of the J. Frank Barefield Jr. Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Selena Rodgers Dickerson, president of SARCOR, LLC, a Birmingham-based civil engineering firm.

Dickerson said the rising costs of materials and labor have led to difficult choices. “If the cost of building infrastructure increases, it may prevent projects from moving forward,” she warned.

Murphy noted the unpredictability of the current economic climate, stating, “The fear that many have is just the unpredictability of our economy, which feels different because it is different.”

He concluded on an optimistic note, saying “strong communities do not fail. Members support each other, they coordinate with each other. The diversity of the members has become a superpower.”

Turning Pain into Purpose: The Lives of Birmingham’s Sickle Cell Warriors

By

Birmingham Times

-

June 18, 2025

0

Sickle 2 — Team Super Warrior Nyle on site at the 27th Annual Magic City Sickle Cell Walk on June 14, 2025 at Railroad Park in downtown Birmingham. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | For the Birmingham Times

Asked how sickle cell disease (SCD) impacts her life, Birmingham’s Alaynna Pruitt said bluntly, “It literally affects everything.”

A sickle cell crisis — a term patients use to describe unbearable pain or other serious complications brought on by the disease — can be unpredictable, Pruitt said.

“I’ll get a crisis somewhat randomly, but it’s usually brought on by overexertion or dehydration,” she said.

Temperature changes, either extreme heat or extreme cold, can also cause problems. For Pruitt, a crisis often manifests itself as intense pain in her legs, arms, or chest.

Still, SCD hasn’t stopped Pruitt from living a full life. She enjoys hiking, Pilates, and yoga. She also likes to travel and recently took a trip to Niagara Falls.

“It just takes proper planning and knowing what hospitals are around in case something happens,” Pruitt said.

Birmingham’s Tynisha Hall, who was diagnosed with SCD at birth, has also had to endure her own sickle cell crises.

“When you start feeling the pain increase, the only option is the [emergency room (ER)] when your home meds aren’t helping. The crisis can be a few days to weeks, even months for some people. But we all carry it differently,” she said.

But the pain hasn’t stopped Hall either.

Today, she works in Birmingham as a program director for a local organization that transports elderly and disabled seniors to their doctor’s appointments and serves as an advocate for SCD patients, or “sickle cell warriors,” as those battling the disease are sometimes called.

Approximately 70,000 to 100,000 Americans have SCD, according to the American Society of Hematology. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes SCD as a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Pain develops when sickle-shaped red blood cells block blood flow through tiny blood vessels to the chest, abdomen, and joints.

June 19 is World Sickle Cell Day, but for people like Pruitt and Hall SCD is top of mind most, if not all, days of the year. The disease hasn’t kept Pruitt and Hall from thriving, though — thanks, in part, to the support they get from the Central Alabama Chapter of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.

After putting several programs on pause due to staff changes, the organization is now rebuilding and working to offer several new opportunities, including urban gardening and arts therapy.

“I would like to see our organization become more conscious of the holistic care of a sickle cell client,” said Sophia Leverson, executive director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama, which hosted its 27th Annual Magic City Sickle Cell Walk on June 14, 2025, at Railroad Park in downtown Birmingham.

The Central Alabama Chapter of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America began in 1976 as a group of concerned citizens who wanted to raise awareness about SCD, make the sickle cell test a standard physician-offered exam, and ensure that those living with SCD were getting the care they needed.

The project would eventually grow into the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama and serve more than a dozen counties, including Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and Talladega. The organization has provided a wealth of services, such as counseling, mentor groups, transportation and financial assistance, and summer camps for kids living with SCD.

Leverson, who took the helm of the organization in November 2023, has worked diligently to get the Central Alabama chapter back on track after much of its work had to be put on hold after its staff dwindled to zero. Today, the organization has three full-time staff members and two contract workers. Over the course of a year, about 130 volunteers help with various events.

Through the years, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama Chapter has made a difference in many lives—and two local sickle cell warriors have shared their stories with The Birmingham Times.

Sickle cell warriors Tynisha Hall, left, and a smiling Alaynna Pruitt meet at 27th Annual Magic City Sickle Cell Walk on June 14, 2024 at Railroad Park in downtown Birmingham. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

Alaynna Pruitt: Empowering Others

Like most people living with SCD, Pruitt was diagnosed before her first birthday. As a child, Pruitt, now 29, lived in Birmingham’s Ensley neighborhood, just minutes from the headquarters for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama. Even when her family relocated to the Roebuck neighborhood, she could still count on the organization to help her with transportation to doctor’s appointments when needed.

Though she’s in mild to moderate pain most days, she experiences a sickle cell crisis only about four to six times a year and usually is hospitalized only once a year, Pruitt said.

When a crisis hits, Pruitt first tries to manage the pain at home with her prescribed medication and rest. She will also drink plenty of water and apply heat to the affected area.

“More often than not, I can manage at home this way and sometimes can continue to work or do other activities,” she said.

But sometimes a sickle cell crisis can mean a trip to the ER and even hospitalization.

“When it’s really bad, it truly is some of the worst pain I think I’ll ever experience,” Pruitt said. “It requires a great deal of mental toughness to get through and know you’ll eventually be fine, but you do feel so helpless in the moment.”

These tough moments don’t keep Pruitt down for long, though. She keeps herself as healthy as possible with regular exercise and nutritious food. Pruitt has a rewarding job, too, working as a clinical research cook at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

“We study how diet affects different diseases,” she explained, adding that it was her interest in nutrition that made her eager to help with the new urban gardening program at the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama.

“This was actually my first time gardening,” Pruitt said. “[Sophia Leverson] has been teaching me some things as we go along. As I continue to get more involved in the food industry, I’ve had a growing interest in the process of growing food, so I was excited to have the opportunity to help with this one.”

Pruitt, who recently led a cooking demonstration at the center, said, “I hope other warriors know that adopting a healthier lifestyle is not out of reach. I want them to be empowered to produce and cook foods that are better for our bodies.”

Birmingham’s Tynisha Hall, sickle cell warrior. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

Tynisha Hall: Being a Voice

“I’ve lost 18 friends to sickle cell,” Hall said solemnly.

People with SCD can die from various complications, including infections, acute chest syndrome, strokes, and organ failure.

But Hall, who was diagnosed with SCD at birth, turned her pain into purpose. In 2018, she launched a clothing line of SCD awareness apparel called the Tynisha K. Collection. She also hosts a podcast—Tynisha K & Co.—that’s all about how she and her friends rely on faith to make it through everyday struggles.

“My faith is very big to me. That’s what has pushed me through a lot of things,” said Hall, who also volunteers with several sickle cell organizations, including the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama.

Hall, 36, has fond memories of going to the organization’s headquarters as a kid for holiday parties and other events. And what she loved most was attending the camp for kids living with SCD that the organization hosted each summer in Sylacauga, Alabama.

“We had a great time at camp,” Hall said. “The camp also instilled in us to be a voice for yourself, to say something when you don’t feel good, to speak up.”

When she was a teen, her family relocated to Delaware, and after high school she attended Delaware State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Dover, Delaware.

“I got really sick on campus,” Hall recalled.

When she made it to the hospital, she found that none of the health care professionals there had experience with SCD: “I had to basically teach the doctors what I knew,” she said.

This experience inspired Hall to do all she could to spread awareness of SCD on campus and beyond. She started volunteering at the local hospital and hosting programs on campus so students could get tested for sickle cell trait, which is an inherited blood disorder that affects approximately 8 percent of African Americans.

“About 60 to 80 students ended up having sickle cell trait and didn’t know it,” Hall recalled. “Where I was located [in Delaware], nobody was talking about sickle cell, so that put the fire under me.”

In 2014, after earning a degree in mass communications with a concentration in broadcast journalism, Hall moved to Atlanta, Georgia, for a job. During her 90-day probationary period she had a sickle cell crisis and couldn’t work, which led to her losing the job.

Hall shared that she’s in pain most days of the week. She manages her pain with medication, hot showers, and heating pads, but during a sickle cell crisis none of that works.

“A sickle cell crisis can happen at any time. When you start feeling the pain increase, the only option is the ER when your home meds aren’t helping. The crisis can be a few days to weeks, even months for some people. But we all carry it differently,” said Hall, adding that she typically has pain in her legs, arms, and back.

But the pain hasn’t stopped her. In fact, it has fueled her passion for serving as an advocate for her fellow sickle cell warriors.

“When I find out a warrior is in the hospital, if they’re comfortable with it, I reach out to them,” said Hall. “I take a little goodie bag and a card and some flowers, balloons, just something to make them feel better, and I pray with them.”

Additionally, she volunteers with a Georgia-based camp for kids with SCD, an effort she describes as her “biggest joy.”

Hall also devotes time to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama. She’s helped Leverson with several events, including the recent Magic City Sickle Cell Walk, a balloon release for sickle cell warriors who have passed away, and an ice cream social fundraiser.

“You Can’t See the Pain”

Asked what they wished more people understood about SCD, both Hall and Pruitt stressed that most sickle cell warriors don’t look like what they’ve been through.

“Sometimes we look absolutely fine,” Hall said. “You can’t see the pain, so you look at us, and most of us are beautiful, we dress nice, we look good. But that doesn’t overshadow the pain.”

Pruitt added that SCD doesn’t affect all people in the same ways. There are several different types of SCD, and symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening.

“It’s different for everyone and doesn’t look one way,” Pruitt said. And looks can’t always tell you how a sickle cell patient feels.

“I’ve been at whole events in pain, and no one would’ve known if I didn’t say anything,” Pruitt said. “We have high pain tolerance and high mental resilience. We can handle a lot.”

Learn more about the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama at sicklecellbham.org.

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What is Sickle Cell Disease?

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) refers to a group of inherited red blood cell disorders, as explained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While healthy red blood cells are round and move through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body, with SCD the red blood cells become hard and sticky and are shaped like a crescent or sickle. The sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. Also, when they travel through small blood vessels, they get stuck and obstruct the blood flow. This can cause pain and other serious complications, such as infections, acute chest syndrome, and strokes.

SCD is diagnosed with a simple blood test and is most often identified at birth or within the first year of life. Symptoms of the disease can start as early as 4 months.
Approximately 70,000 to 100,000 Americans have SCD, according to the American Society of Hematology.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about SCD, and one of the things that I want to highlight is that a lot of people think that only individuals who are Black or African American [are affected by the disorder]—and that actually is not the case,” said Sophia Leverson, executive director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama.

SCD is more common not only in people of African descent (including African Americans) but also in Hispanic Americans from Central and South America, as well as people of Middle Eastern, Asian, India, and Mediterranean descent.

“And there are more Caucasian people being diagnosed with sickle cell,” Leverson said. “In fact, Italians also have a predisposition to it.”

Sickle cell trait is an inherited blood disorder that affects approximately 8 percent of African Americans. Unlike SCD, in which patients have two genes that cause the production of abnormal hemoglobin, individuals with sickle cell trait carry only one defective gene and typically live normal lives without health problems related to SCD. However, extreme conditions, such as severe dehydration and high-intensity physical activity, can lead to serious health issues in individuals with sickle cell trait—although this is rare.

How Sophia Leverson Reenergized Central Alabama’s Sickle Cell Disease Association

By

Birmingham Times

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June 18, 2025

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_DSC4834 — Sophia Leverson, executive director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | For the Birmingham Times

Perhaps Sophia Leverson was destined to work in sickle cell disease (SCD) care.

“I don’t really remember a time in my life when sickle cell wasn’t part of it,” she said.
Leverson and her family are originally from Guyana, a country on the northeastern coast of South America, where her father was a physician.

“[SCD] is very common across the entire African diaspora,” Leverson said. “Some of the earliest patients I remember interacting with as a little kid running around my parents’ clinic were sickle cell patients,” said Leverson, whose family moved to Alabama in 2004 and settled in Jackson, a small town in Clark County.

Leverson attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where she studied biology and public health and chose to focus her research papers on SCD whenever she could.

Today, Leverson, 31, serves as executive director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama, which serves 13 Central and Eastern Alabama counties, and she is on a mission to revamp and reenergize the organization with new programming and events.

“I would like to see our organization become more conscious of the holistic care of a sickle cell client,” said Leverson.

When Leverson became executive director in 2023, much of the work of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama had been put on hold.

“We had what I refer to as the perfect storm of retirements, resignations, and deaths, which took us from an organization of five all the way down to zero,” she explained.

“Fortunately, one of the people who retired came back as a contract worker and the board president at the time stepped in to serve as acting executive director. They kept the organization alive.”

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin with Sophia Leverson, executive director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama at the 27th Annual Magic City Sickle Cell Walk, which took place on June 14, 2025, at Railroad Park. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

“A Deep Passion”

One of Leverson’s mentors encouraged her to apply for the executive director position. Though she hadn’t been affiliated with the organization before, Leverson’s education, her experience working at the Jefferson County Department of Health, and her passion for SCD made her a strong candidate.

Once Leverson was hired, it was time for the rebuild to begin.

“I knew what I was getting into was a full rebuild of this organization, and at no point did I delude myself into thinking that would be an easy process, however I have a deep passion for this community,” she said.

But Leverson didn’t set out to do the work alone. She hired a staff of people dedicated to finding solutions for those living with SCD and building upon the legacy of the organization’s first executive director Sharon B. Lewis.

Through the changes, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama’s annual walk continued and last week marked the 27th Annual Magic City Sickle Cell Walk, which took place on June 14, 2025, at Railroad Park.

During the transition the association also ensured that clients with transportation needs got to their appointments and that clients who needed financial help got assistance with rent and utilities. But the organization didn’t have the capacity to maintain the programming it had offered in the past.

When Leverson came on board in November 2023, she was determined to change that.
“One of the things I’m very passionate about is making sure our rural communities are not left out of the conversation,” said Leverson, who’s lived in Alabama since she was about 10 years old.

“I grew up in [Clark County], so I’m very conscientious of the challenges that are faced in rural Alabama,” she added.

For example, while the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama relies on public transit and Uber to get Birmingham-area patients to their appointments, that won’t work for clients in rural communities.

“Uber doesn’t go out to Randolph County,” she said. “So, we’ve got to be flexible with how we cater to rural communities.”

Leverson plans to host events outside of the Greater Birmingham area, as well, with a Sickle Cell Red Party for Talladega, Alabama, that’s already in the works.

Bearing Fruit

Some of Leverson’s other programs are bearing fruit. In April, she started an urban gardening program that offers free fruits and vegetables to those living with SCD.

“One of the biggest things people with sickle cell need to consider is their nutrition,” Leverson explained. “But a lot of our clients live in poverty, or they live in food deserts, and that can make it extremely difficult to access healthy fruits and vegetables.”

An avid gardener herself, Leverson decided to use her green thumb to better help the people her organization serves.

“I’ve had a garden of my own since 2019, and I follow an as-organic-as-possible methodology,” she said. “So, I decided to take those skills and use them to benefit our clients.”

The garden, which is on the grounds of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama’s offices, located at 3813 Avenue I in Birmingham, boasts plenty of variety. Leverson proudly rattled off the fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are ready for harvest: “We have zucchini, squash, basil, tomatoes, strawberries, some sweet peppers, some jalapenos, green onions, sage, rosemary.”

“Oh my gosh, and we have our first blueberries!” Leverson added, excited about seeing the literal fruits of her labor in bloom.

In August, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama will launch an arts therapy program through which Leverson will invite local artists to lead classes for sickle cell patients. Ashley M. Jones, Alabama’s first Black and youngest poet laureate, has signed on to teach a lesson on writing poetry. Leverson has also recruited a dancer to lead a class on movement and a visual artist who will guide participants in a group art project that will be displayed at the organization’s upcoming open house event, currently set for September 9, 2025.

It was at the 2024 open house event when Leverson began to feel confident that she had the organization headed in the right direction. About 60 people showed up for a day of children’s activities, music, free food, and fun.

“I just felt like it was all coming together because people who had not been to the building in years felt welcome here,” Leverson said. “But more importantly, our clients told me how wonderful it was and asked when the next one was going to be.”

Sophia Leverson, left, executive director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama and Birmingham’s Tynisha Hall, sickle cell warrior, share a laugh during the 27th Annual Magic City Sickle Cell Walk, which took place on June 14, 2025, at Railroad Park. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

“Elevating the Cause”

In 1976, the Central Alabama Chapter of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America began as a grassroots effort by concerned community members. Their mission was to increase awareness of SCD, advocate for routine sickle cell testing by physicians, and make sure individuals living with the condition received proper care.

In 1978, the group received a federal grant to launch the Jefferson County Sickle Cell Program, which offered free services, such as education, testing, counseling, and referrals. Over time, the initiative expanded into the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama, extending its reach to serve multiple counties, including Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, and Walker.

Throughout the years, the organization has offered a wide range of support services — from counseling and mentoring programs to transportation assistance, financial aid, and summer camps for children with SCD.

As for the future of the organization, Leverson said, “My hope is that our clients feel taken care of in a holistic way, feel that we show up for them, feel that we represent them well and advocate for their cause well.”

“And more than anything I want them to become part of that voice,” she added. “It is not my job to speak for the clients. My job is to elevate the cause, create a platform, and then hand them the mic.”

Learn more about Sickle Cell Disease Association of America–Central Alabama at sicklecellbham.org.

Dr. Herman Taylor: Bessemer Native Becomes a Force for Black Health

By

Birmingham Times

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June 18, 2025

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Dr. Herman Taylor Jr. has touched lives around the world as a cardiologist and through projects such as the Jackson Heart Study, the largest single-site study of Black people’s heart health ever undertaken. (Provided)

By Michael Merschel | American Heart Association News

Dr. Herman Taylor Jr.’s resume has many of the things you’d expect from a career spent in the loftiest reaches of the medical field: Ivy League degrees. Awards from his peers. His name on hundreds of studies in prestigious medical journals.

Taylor has touched lives around the world as a cardiologist and through projects such as the Jackson Heart Study, the largest single-site study of Black people’s heart health ever undertaken. He spent Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans meeting with former NFL players and their families as part of his work with the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University.

By 1963, Birmingham was the epicenter of the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. was locked up in the city jail. Children were attacked by police dogs, blasted with fire hoses and jailed during anti-segregation protests. Taylor was in fourth grade when four girls were killed in a blast at Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church.

“We had, essentially, terrorist bombings of Black homes,” Taylor said. His family knew some of those who were attacked. “And as a child a few years younger than some of the kids who were actually jailed, it was disturbing to think that could happen – that a whole bunch of kids could be marched off to jail because they were protesting some of the conditions that were easy for anybody to see.”

Things got personal. A rock was thrown through a picture window of his family’s home.

Taylor was detained by law enforcement as he and some friends left church in their Boy Scout uniforms.

It’s another decision that had roots in his family life.

Seeing The Bigger Community

Taylor saw his mother as “utterly devoted to the students and in their progress,” he said.

Many of his father’s colleagues dealt with health issues related to work. His father testified about work conditions the men had endured, and the Taylor home became a place where workers, many of them illiterate, could get help filling out forms to receive money from legal settlements. “Sometimes, the front room of the house would be crowded with men waiting to see him.”

The lesson Taylor took from his parents’ examples was “this idea that part of the rent you pay for living here is service,” he said. “And looking at health disparities, when I became aware of the magnitude and the tragedy of them,” became his focus.

He was able to take action after graduating from Harvard Medical School in 1980. As part of the National Health Service Corps, he was assigned to Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood, a historically Black area that was also home to people from the Caribbean.

Taylor worked not only on providing medical care but also on promoting voter registration.

“It is a part of securing your health to have a voice,” he said, because voting affects health in many ways, including “how good your sanitation is, or where they’re burning trash, or where the highways go.”

Years later, he’d bring a similarly broad perspective to the project he’s best known for: the Jackson Heart Study, for which he became founding director in 1998.

“Love Of His Life”

Before he was named to that position, Taylor was working as a cardiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which is where he met the “love of his life,” Dr. Jasmine Taylor, who is now an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

She recalls the discussions about whether he should take the Jackson position. In Birmingham, she said, he could have helped people while maintaining a potentially lucrative private cardiology practice. In reasoning out his decision, she said he told her,

“‘Yes, that would make a difference – one patient at a time.'” But he also told her “‘I really want to look at this idea of creating the science that helps a lot of people all at once.'”

He’s a man of science who’s also driven by faith, Jasmine said. “He believes, and I agree with him, that we are here to do good things for others.”

Under Taylor’s leadership, the Jackson Heart Study grew to include more than 5,300 participants who live in and around Jackson, Mississippi. It has led to important findings related to the genetics of heart disease, links between discrimination and high blood pressure, the significance of social factors in heart health and more.

From a research standpoint, by focusing on a Black population, the study provides valuable data on a group of people ignored in earlier cardiovascular research, such as the famous Framingham Heart Study, where more than 98 percent of the participants were white. “I’m very proud of what we created in terms of the repository of critical information on Black health,” Taylor said.

And in the same way the Framingham study benefited more than just the people it studied, he said, the Jackson data has the potential to help all people.

But the study wasn’t just an observation, Taylor said. It was a “transgenerational intervention” to build community and promote health. The study ended up connecting not only researchers and participants but also churches, government entities, nonprofit groups and multiple educational institutions.

And it has done more than just record participants’ health data. It has worked to support Black health care professionals, because diversity among physicians and researchers can directly benefit Black people’s health. To make it work, Taylor and others had to find a way to build trust among people taking part, some of whom had been maltreated by a racist medical system in the past.

Taylor said he’s also proud of how the study “helped stimulate a higher level of health activism in the community. The real secret sauce of the Jackson success is the community,” the people who enrolled as well as their children, who see the study as “a positive element in the community life, and sometimes an inspiration to do better.”

Near the end of his 15 years in Jackson, Taylor said, the Football Players Health Study at Harvard called on him because they, too, needed to build “the same spirit of community involvement” into their effort. Football players, he said, had a lot of the same concerns of privacy and trust that people around Jackson had. Since its launch in 2014, the Harvard study has had several significant findings about former players’ risks for heart and brain health.

How He Does It

Taylor builds trust and a spirit of community, in part, by listening for “unexpected sources of genius,” he said.

“By unexpected, I mean it doesn’t necessarily come from the individuals with all the initials behind their names, or the most senior, or the ones with perfect grammar and elocution,” he said. “I have been humbled by insights coming from students, elderly patients in hospital beds, people who just showed up at my office door with a complaint, and others.

“There’s so much power in the collective,” Taylor said. If he’s the smartest guy in the room, “then I am clearly in the wrong room – it’s not big enough.”

It’s another skill he learned from his parents, who taught him to lead with trust and honesty while also being “wise in the ways of the world,” he said.

“My father would give you his last dime if he thought you needed it more than he did, but he was also stern in the face of unfairness,” Taylor said. “Mom could be as sweet as Southern tea but was savvy and knew how to get things done.”

His wife has seen him put those skills to work. They’ve been married since 1991, raised three children together and have collaborated professionally.

Jasmine Taylor has watched him in meetings. “He doesn’t speak first,” she said. “He’ll let everyone say what they need to say. He listens, he takes it in, and then he speaks.” He doesn’t act as if he has all the answers. “He doesn’t operate in a hierarchy, and I think that’s how he’s able to get so much done, because I think people feel safe that they can really put their ideas out there, and then they do great things together.”

Dr. Ernest Carter, director of health research and innovation at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, also has spent years seeing Taylor’s gifts in action.

Carter, who also is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, has been friends with Taylor since they were roommates at Harvard Medical School in 1976. Taylor, he said, has not only the intellect necessary to run a huge study like the one in Jackson but the charisma as well.

“Herman has a presence when he talks,” Carter said. He’s full of humor. He knows how to navigate political situations and how to relate to different people.

Carter said those abilities are rooted in Taylor’s experiences growing up.

“It was this incredible sense of community,” said Carter, who grew up in a similar small-town environment in Tennessee, “as if everybody was your mother and father.” People would come over to your house, visit with the family, want to know how you were doing and be interested in what you wanted to do in life.

“And that starts to drive you into whatever you’re going to do,” Carter said. And when you step out into the broader world, “you translate your sense of community to everybody. And then you try to figure out, ‘How do we help the entire world?'”

It’s a form of resilience, Carter said.

Resilience is not exclusive to Black people, he emphasized, and not every Black person finds a way to overcome. But resilience explains how people can rise above oppressive situations such as those he and Herman grew up in.

“That’s what Herman and I both know,” Carter said. “We both know that if we want to improve health outcomes, we’ve got to get people to become resilient. And becoming resilient means that they need to understand more about how to keep themselves healthy.”

Carter said that resilience is a key part of his friend’s personal success story. It’s founded, he said, in family and community of the past, but also in what Herman has built now – what Carter calls a “circle of love” of family and friends. “I mean, that’s what keeps everybody resilient – not just Black people.”

Resilience is also a main focus of Taylor’s current work.

Understanding Resilience

Taylor has been at Morehouse since 2014. “One of the first things I wanted to do had to do with looking at the notion of Black resilience,” he said.

Ask an audience about the general state of Black health, he said, and “the honest answer that you get back is, ‘It’s bad.'”

But there is another side to that story, he said, “the side of Black health, Black longevity, Black thriving happening despite the tremendous adversities that African Americans as a people have faced for a very long time.”

It is, he said, “a truly amazing story, and perhaps if we look at it a slightly different way, the most scientifically intriguing side of Black health is the uplifting message for Black people that, despite it all, people have overcome.”

That’s “a very heroic story in many instances,” he said. Understanding its biological and other underpinnings “could lead not only to a better, clearer and balanced understanding of the Black experience,” but to new approaches to treatment for everybody.

Jasmine, who has worked with her husband on understanding resilience, said that part of his own resilience is how he’s developed ways to make a difference. “The whole idea of studying resilience is because he also wants to foster agency in a people that is constantly told that something’s wrong.”

Resilience is something Taylor said he aspires to. To him, it involves trying to balance professional success while sustaining “health, happiness and your humanity.”

“There is a form of ‘resilience’ that can look good on the outside, but all the while you’re paying a price inside – like the legendary John Henry, who overcame the tremendous challenge of outracing a steam-powered steel-driving machine but died on the spot after overcoming the obstacle. Black people, and others, too often overcome adversity but are casualties of the struggle in terms of health, happiness and joy.”

But he sees the study of resilience as a way to help everybody.

“Black resilience is human resilience,” Taylor said, and understanding their methods of success, “despite all of that adversity, could very well lead to some new universal truths.”

American Heart Association News covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this story reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. This story does not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care professional for medical information.

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

By

Birmingham Times

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June 18, 2025

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PPT0619 1 — Comedienne Eunice Elliott returns to the Stardome on Fri. June 27. (File)

By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times

CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH – FREEDOM DAY!!!

TOMORROW, JUNE 19…

**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!
**ALABAMA STATE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONFERENCE at Marriott on I-280 in Birmingham.
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**MUSCLE, DEATHEN, HUMAN INSTINCT & D.R.E.A.D. at The Nick.
**3rd THURSDAY at the Nick with RAMBLIN’ RICKY TATE at The Nick.
**LATE NIGHT with at The Nick.
**FREE SUBSTRATE BINGO with JACKIE LO at Saturn.
**JOSE CARR EVERY THURSDAY, 5-7 p.m. at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, at 1631 4th Avenue North.
**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**NO FILTER ADULT CABARET at Saturn.
**FILMMAKER NETWORKING NIGHTS, 5 p.m. at 1821 2nd Avenue North
**EVERY THURSDAY- THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS, 7 p.m. at Platinum of Birmingham with DJ Slugga.
**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.
**FILM at Sidewalk Film.
**KARAOKE, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

FRIDAY, JUNE 20…
IT IS Friday…the weekend starts…
**ALABAMA STATE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONFERENCE at Marriott on I-280 in Birmingham.
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**FRIDAY NIGHTS SCREEN SCENE MOVIES SERIES at Beacon Park. Fun and Games begin at 7 p.m. Movie begins at Dusk. THE WILD ROBOT is playing. There are FREE hot dogs, lemonade, train rides, popcorn, snow cones and more.
**COCO JONES with LADY LONDON at Iron City.
**AN EVENING WITH HEART at the Legacy Arena/BJCC
**PERPETUAL GROOVE at Saturn.
**MARA NAGRA MUSIC RELEASE NIGHT with HONEY, ME, MY KNIFE, BOLEE at the Nick.
**FRIDAY NIGHT LATE NIGHTS WITH SUNDROP at The Nick.
**BEARS GONE PHISHIN at Avondale Brewing CO.
**GOOD PEOPLE & GOOD MUSIC WITH GOOD PEOPLE BREWING at Dave’s, 6 p.m. at Dave’s Pub.

SATURDAY, JUNE 21…
**FARMERS & MAKERS MARKET, 8 – 11 a.m., Every Saturday through August 2, located at By the Tracks at Irondale City Hall -Free Honey Samples & Bee Demo. There will be fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, baked goods, honey and handcrafted items.
**TAILS BY THE RAIL AT ELLARD PARK DOG PARK -Frisbee Fest Field Day, 9 a.m. in Irondale.
**ENSLEY UNITY DAY, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at th Ensley Rec. Center, 2800 Avenue K. This is a celebration of Fathers, Family and Community, featuring live music, vendors, kids activities, panel discussing, with freee games, food andmore.
**Q DOT, JAXXXON AND FRIENDS at The Nick.
**CAN’T FEEL MY FACE: 20102 DANCE PARTY at Saturn.
**THE STEWS w/STOPLIGHT OBSERVATIONS, PORTICO & ZION GOINS at Avondale Brewing Co.

SUNDAY, JUNE 22…
**SINGO BINGO EVERY SUNDAY, 1 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Company.
**5th ANNUAL JAZZ ESSENCE EXPERIENCE, 5 p.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church with Dee Lucas, Jolanda Green, Between 9&7 Band plus financial literacy, real estate and voter registration.
**JOSE CARR performing at JAZZ IN THE GARDEN SUNDAYS, Every 1st and 3rd Sunday, 5-8 p.m. at Denim on 7th, 2808 7th Avenue Suite105
**EASE BACK 4th SUNDAYS, 5 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**SUNDAY NIGHT with MAKESHIFT TAPEDECK at The Nick.
**4th SUNDAY FREE SHOW with TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at The Nick.

MONDAY, JUNE 23…
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND (Open Mic) at the Nick.
**SUPERSTAR KARAIKE EVERY TUESDAY at The Nick

TUESDAY, JUNE 24…
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**DAVE MATTHEWS at the Coca-Cola Amphitheater.
**JOSE CARR EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT at True Story Brewing.
**SUPERSTAR KARAOKE EVERY TUESDAY, 10 p.m. at The Nick.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25…
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**DEF LEPPARD with special guest BRET MICHAELS at the Coca-Cola Amphitheater.
**REAL FUNNY COMEDY WEDNESDAYS at True Story Brewing. Sign up at 7:30 p.m.
**EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT OPEN DECK with SUNDROP at The Nick.
**THE BURNING at Saturn.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**COMIC MISCHIEF, SPEAK IN WHISPER & CARDBOARD GIANT at The Nick.
**3rd THURSDAY at the Nick with RAMBLIN’ RICKY TATE at The Nick.
**LATE NIGHT with at The Nick.
**RWAKE with HEXXUS, HIRAETH at Saturn.

FRIDAY, JUNE 27….
**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.
**THOMAS RHETT “Better in Boots Tour 2025” with TUCKER WETMORE & THE CASTELLOWS at the Coca-Cola Amphitheater
**COMEDIENNE EUNICE ELLIOTT RETURNS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**GLADYS IMPROV at Saturn.
**FUNERAL PARTY GOTH NIGHT at Saturn. FREE.
**YEAR OF OCTOBER, KAZHA AND BLIP at the Nick.

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

**BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY – THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD by Jean Pierce this Friday at Patton Park, Saturday at Avondale Public Library and Saturdays, June 28 through July 19th at Central Public Library, downtown.
**MDS SUMMER CAMP, NOW through August for ages 4-8 (Must be Potty Trained) with Lunch and Snacks. There is Outdoor Play, Water Play Days, Sno Cone Days, Arts and Crafts and more. Call 205-957-6550 for more.
**SUMMER STEAMER CAMP, NOW through July 15, at the Birmingham Public Library on Park Place, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and Five Points West Regional Library 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., for 3rd -5th Grade students. Lunch is provided Register at cenyouth@cobpl.org.
**PODCASTING 101 at CREED63, EVERY TUESDAY at 5:45 p.m. Learn how to launch and create your own podcast at 1601 5th Avenue North, Birmingham 35203.
**SATURDAY JAZZ GREATS CLASSES, 3rd-12th Grade at Jazz Hall. Classes are free with a registration fee of $75. Call 205-327-9424 for more. Visit www.jazzhall.com.
**SPACE ONE ELEVEN SUMMER ART CAMPS, for 6th – 12th Grades, NOW through July 25. Whether your child is just discovering art or building a serious portfolio. There is Drawing, Portfolio Development, Digital Art, Printmaking, Clay, Sculpture and more. Register at SpaceOneEleven.org.
**LAMPLIGHT WEST BIRMINGHAM – Fix Real World Problems Together. Free of Charge for all families, Now through June 27 for ages 13-17. Transportation available. Call 256-202-4832 for more.
**COCO MOORE’S SUMMER JR. BEAUTE CAMP, is an inner and outer beauty enrichment camp experience for tween and teen girls, ages 7-14, June 23 – 27. Contact 205-427-9849 for more.
**SUMMER THEATRE CAMPS at Red Mountain Theatre for ages 4 – 18, NOW through August 15. Go to redmountaintheatre.org for more.
**KIDS BOWL FREE ALL SUMMER LONG! – Every Day, All Summer Long, Kids Bowl FREE at Spare Time in Trussville! No Cost! Two Free Games Every Day! Family- Friendly Activity!

JUNE IS STILL HERE… Have fun!!

FOR BUSINESS LOVERS…THIS JUNETEENTH WEEKEND …
**ALABAMA STATE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE at the Marriott Birmingham, 3590 Grandview Parkway – Entrepreneurs & Innovators Conference Theme: Use What You Got: Create. Cultivate. Conquer.
*TODAY – 7-8 a.m. Exhibitor Setup, 8-8:45 a.m. -Registration, 9-11:15 a.m. -Community Sessions, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. -Network Power Luncheon, 1:15-4:45 p.m. -E&I Breakout Sessions, 6 p.m.-8:30p.m. -Juneteenth Reception (After Hours) *FRIDAY – 8:45 a.m. -Awards Breakfast, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. -E&I Breakout Sessions. The Conference Ends at 3:30 p.m.

TOMORROW IS THE DAY OF FREEDOM – JUNE 19!!! CELEBRATE!!
TOMORROW … JUNETEENTH! ENJOY THIS HOLIDAY!!!! IT celebrates freedom delayed, but not denied, honors Black History and Culture and recognizes the resilience that continues to shape our nation. Whether you spend some time learning the history, attending a cookout or support Black owned businesses – take time to reflect, connect and CELEBRATE THIS DAY!!!
**TOMOROW – WOODLAWN UNITED – ONE KINGSTON JUNETEENTH, 12 – 6 p.m. at Stockham Park, 4221 8th Avenue North. Celebrate Unity, Freedom and Strength of Community. Enjoy music, food and good times with friends and neighbors.
**TOMORROW- CITY WALK SOCIAL (23rd St. N. and 9th Avenue N), 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Sing along to the biggest country hits from your favorite female artists.
**TOMORROW THROUGH JUNE 28 at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute with JUNETEENTH COLLECTION SPOTLIGHT of Artifacts & Art Display throughout the museum.
**FRIDAY – FREE FRIDAY FLICKS with DOG MAN at City Walk.
**SATURDAY – SHERIFF MARK PETTWAY’S HOOPFEST 3-ON-3 BASKETBALL at Minor High School. Register at www.jeffcohoopfest.com.
**JUNE 23 – 27th – SUMMER CAMP at Holy Family Cristo Rey for ages 11-16. www.youthempowermentgroup.org.

FOR SUMMER LUNCH DISTRIBUTIONS SITES…
**ALL BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS will be available for Dine-In Only but will be closed on Fridays. K-8 – NOW through July 3, noon – 1 p.m. Grades 9-12 NOW through July 10, Noon – 1 p.m. Martha Gaskins will be open on Fridays NOW through July 18, Noon – 1 p.m. **ALL HOUSING COMMUNITUES (Dine-In Only) 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

LOOKING AHEAD AND PLANNING…
HERE IS JUST A LITTLE IN JULY … RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER…
**JULY 4 – THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN at the Vulcan Park and Museum with a Viewing Party on Kiwanis Centennial Park, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. There will be a Catered Dinner and Open Bar at 7 p.m. with Fireworks at 9 p.m. Visit www.visitvulcan.com for tickets and more info.
**JULY 8 – SMITHERMAN GOLF CLASSIC, 7 a.m. Registration and 8 a.m. Shotgun Start at the Highland Park Golf Course.
**JULY 10 – 5TH ANNUAL I LOVE IRONDALE DAY, 3- 6 p.m. with food trucks, FREE for First 500 Attendees, Live Music, Train Rides, Children’s Activities and meet local non-profit partners while building the community with the neighbors!
**JULY 12 – LT. MARK MEADOWS DAY at Irondale City Hall.
**JULY 12 – NEXT LEVEL FOOTBALAL CAMP, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. with JEREMY TOWNS, former NFL Player at Legion Field.
**JULY 12 – MILES COLLEGE CHEER CAMP, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Knox Windham Gym. Ages 4-12. Go to Instagram for more at: official_milescheer

AT THE BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY…
**COLOR OUR WORLD – 2025 SUMMER READING is at BPL Locations. Register for summer reading by visiting any BPL location to check out books or download books online. All participants who complete a B-I-N-G-O Card win a prize and a chance for a grand prize. For more info, visit www.cobpl.org.
**FREE – ADVICE FROM VOLUNTEER LAWYERS IN BIRMINGHAM – ASK AN ATTORNEY on Tuesday, July 1 at Salvation Army on 26th Avenue North, July 15 at Smithfield Library and August 5 at Homewood Library. Volunteer attorneys will be on hand 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. to answer your legal questions and provide direction, FREE. No appointment necessary. VLB assists with civil legal matters. For more 205-250-5198 and www.vlbham.org.

COMING SOON …

MORE MUSIC COMING SOON IN JUNE…

IN DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM…
**JUNE 28 – JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT with special guest BAND OF HORSES at the Coca-Cola Amphitheater.

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