Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin endorses Walt Maddox for governor
Talk about a game-changer. Birmingham Mayor and media darling Randall Woodfin threw his support behind Tuscaloosa Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Walt Maddox in a joint press conference Thursday afternoon. “From Mobile to Muscle Shoals, from Dothan to Decatur, from Woodlawn to West End. Alabama we deserve better… It is my great privilege to offer my endorsement and my support to Walt Maddox to be the next Governor of the great state of Alabama,” said Woodfin. Maddox thanked Woodfin before taking the mic himself. “Mayor Woodfin’s election last year was an indication that Alabama is standing on the threshold of a new generation of leaders. A generation of leaders that are focused on social, economic and environmental justice. Leaders who are focused on transparency and accountability. Leaders who are focused on results and not rhetoric. Leaders who transcend petty politics and the differences who once divided us. And leaders who believe in the future,” said Maddox. “Mayor Woodfin is a leader who believe all of those things and I am honored beyond measure to have his endorsement.” Following the press conference, Maddox took to Facebook to share the news; “Extraordinarily honored to have the endorsement of Mayor Woodfin! #MaddoxMomentum,” he posted. Watch the endorsement below:
Birmingham’s Randall Woodfin takes a stand against racism in his city
In 1963, Birmingham, Ala. was a KKK stronghold. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. went so far as to describe it as America’s worst city for racism, calling it America’s most segregated city. Flash forward 55 years and the city is still a hotbed for racism in America, struggling to move beyond race-driven politics and ideologies. The issue was front and center Tuesday when Mayor Randall Woodfin decided he wasn’t going to stand for it anymore. The issue Birmingham mega-church, Church of the Highlands announced plans to move a satellite campus into an inner-city, high-crime area of the city last month. Local Pastor Michael Jordan of New Era Baptist Church on Cotton Avenue SW, didn’t approve of the church coming into “his” neighborhood. He posted a message on a sign outside of the church saying, “Black folks need to stay out of white churches” on one side. “White folks refused to be our neighbors,” read the other. “Whites left the inner city. They carried their churches with them and they moved to the suburbs. White folk have proved they don’t want to live next door to us or be our neighbors, or worship with us,” Jordan rationalized to WVTM 13. “Now they want to plant a white church in a black neighborhood under the umbrella of supposedly to fight crime. The real reason Church of the Highlands wants to put a white church in a black neighborhood is they have too many black folks at their main campus and they want them to leave and come to a church in their inner city.” At the end of the interview with WVTM 13, Jordan made a final plea to “every African American who attends a white church.” “Leave now, ” he said. “Come to your mainstream black church. Your focus is different. Our cultures are different. The white institutional church is under watch, because they elected a promiscuous, racist President that’s building walls.” Woodfin takes a stand But Mayor Woodfin didn’t appreciate Pastor Jordan’s message. He took to Twitter on Tuesday to call him out. “There is a spirit of racism and division that is over this city. It must be brought down. We have to change the conversation to what we need it to evolve into. “Darkness can not drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate can not drive out hate; only love can do that,” Woodfin tweeted. There is a spirit of racism and division that is over this city. It must be brought down. We have to change the conversation to what we need it to evolve into. “Darkness can not drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate can not drive out hate; only love can do that.” pic.twitter.com/QuNGjqYrjS — Randall Woodfin (@WoodfinForBham) May 15, 2018 Jordan’s history with controversy Jordan has found himself in the midst of controversy before. The 26-year pastor posted a sign last year saying, “Undercover racist elected Trump” (sic) read one side, and on the other, “Trump deceived poor white folks.”
Organizations cut from proposed budget, ask Birmingham City Council to reconsider
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin presented his budget plans for 2018-2019 last Tuesday, which included cutting funding for neighborhood organizations, asking them to instead partner with the city and spend money they already have in the bank. Woodfin made the cut in order to prioritize neighborhood revitalization by increasing funding for demolition and weed abatement, sidewalks and paving roads. “Over the last several years, more than $3.7 million in tax dollars have piled up in those association accounts untouched,” Woodfin told city councilors last Tuesday. “We’ve redirected this year’s allocation to directly invest in neighborhood revitalization…. We challenge the neighborhood associations to work with us, with the existing funds they have to address weed abatement, demolition and other neighborhood improvements.” On Monday, the Birmingham City Council held a public hearing allowing citizens and organizations to voice their opinions about the proposed plan. There, neighborhood association officers from across the city stood up requesting to be included back in the budget. Bettina Byrd-Giles, chair of Birmingham Sister Cities — a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering international and intercultural relationships as well as community relations in order to facilitate foreign direct investment and economic development in Birmingham — stood making such a request. “We have been defunded. Our budget has been cut in the budget that presented on Tuesday… I’m here asking that you reconsider and put us back into the budget,” Byrd-Giles said before the council. Mary Lynn Bates, vice president of Bridge Ministries — a faith-based non-profit that fights homeless and serves those in need — said the funding for their organization was also cut. “I think the city needs all the help it can get to help people who are in crisis and we have a lot of expertise on that and it’s a shame if the partnership doesn’t go forward,” said Bates. Council President Valerie Abbott said the council is not in 100% agreement with Woodfin’s proposed budget, which is why they’re holding meetings to hear from those affected by the cuts. “You want to know what regular people think and a lot of the groups that were here to bring to our attention that they had not been funded,” explained Abbott. “We’ve been hearing from a lot of their supporters and there were a lot more people in the audience than spoke, so obviously a lot of people had supporters out there.” The 2018-2019 budget will go into effect July 1. Video of the full hearing below:
Randall Woodfin outlines $436M budget proposal, $8M increase from 2018
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin on Wednesday outlined his plans to city council for Birmingham’s 2019 operating budget, which calls for an $8 million increase over 2018’s. “It’s a new day in Birmingham. Not just through the budget process, but with how we spend tax dollars. The budget we have created falls in line with our core values and commitment to neighborhood revitalization. It represents some difficult and responsible decisions that must be made to support our priorities,” Woodfin said to the councilors. Woodfin proposed a $436 million dollar budget, that focus on five broad areas from which to work: Personnel: Includes a one percent cost of living adjustment for city employees, as well as the continuation of longevity pay. Also eliminates 133 vacant positions, saving the $4.7 million. Operations: Establishes a Preventive Maintenance Program with a plan to address the needs of the city infrastructure. Will begin with an initial investment of half a million dollars. Overtime: Identifies opportunities to reduce overtime costs through efficiency and accountability. New standards for the funding of boards and agencies: All non-departments must submit budgets that focus more on programs and services for the residents of Birmingham and not primarily to support salaries. In addition, an internal audit process of all contracts will be put in place. Neighborhood revitalization: Creates new standards to support our absolute priority of neighborhood revitalization. Reflects demands to increase funding for demolition and weed abatement, sidewalks and paving roads. Establishes of the Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity, and a priority will be set for an increase and support in small business growth in our neighborhoods. Woodfin explained the budget review process began in January. “We held three days of departmental training, which followed with the request forms to be returned and reviewed by the Budget Office at the end of February,” the mayor explained. “Throughout this process, there were two critical messages. Each department must prioritize needs over wants. There were no sacred cows. Nothing is viewed as untouchable… the positions we have taken demand accountability from within the departments and non-departments.” Woodfin said he plans to present his budget at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, ahead of a May 20 deadline as the 2019 fiscal year begins July 1. Read a full transcript of the mayor’s plan here.
These are the 3 finalists for Birmingham’s new police chief
The search for the next Birmingham, Ala. police chief has been narrowed down to three finalists the city announced on Sunday. The search for the Magic City’s new police chief began back in February with the city collecting applications from Feb. 1 to March 9. More than 50 candidates – both locally and across the nation – applied for the position. Those applicants were winnowed down to 11 finalists were invited to take part in an assessment process on March 19. There, participants were asked to handle a series of realistic leadership situations. Once those candidates completed the assessment process, a detailed review of their performance was conducted and the three finalists were selected. Mayor Randall Woodfin is in the processing of interviewing the finalists this week. The finalists Malik Aziz: currently a division commander with the Dallas Police Department. He has more than 28 years law enforcement experience. Henry Irby III: currently a deputy chief with the Birmingham Police Department. He has more than 32 years law enforcement experience. Patrick D. Smith: currently a police commander with the Los Angeles Police Department. Has more than 27 years law enforcement experience.
How the media, BLM activists are pushing false narrative of Chikesia Clemons arrest and why we shouldn’t let them
Law enforcement officers haves a tough jobs these days. Just last week two deputies in Florida were ambushed, shot and killed while simply having a meal together. While the Sunshine State, and the nation, mourns their unnecessary deaths, we also need to stop and recognize the danger our law enforcement faces these days extends beyond just that of violence. It’s also the threat of mistruths and outright lies by those who would discredit the career field as a whole. This week Alabama has found itself in the spotlight for an incident at a Waffle House where an edited portion of a video taken of Chikesia Clemons being arrested went viral. Quickly Black Lives Matter, and others, took to social media to scream that the arrested woman was mistreated. The woman’s mother and friends are also pushing their own false narrative of the situation to anyone who will listen. A full copy of the video of the incident made available to press later showed Clemons and friends being asked to leave multiple times. Her version, and that of her friend who released the edited tape, of events are completely different than those from multiple witnesses including other black women, and women in the restaurant. A full report indicates that witnesses, who included six employees and one customer, told police that the two women were loud and used profanities toward employees. The fact remains that Clemons isn’t a victim of anything but her own bad behavior and poor decisions. Al.Com reported according to the video and witnesses, these were the words of the woman Black Lives Matters and others are wrongly trying to call a “victim”: “I’ll come over this counter and beat your f**king ass, bitch I’m gonna have your job, you ain’t gonna be here tomorrow.” This is according to witness statements read by Det. Mims Another witness said that one of the two women said they could come back to the store and “shoot this place up if I need to.” So to be clear: A drunk woman walks into a restaurant holding alcohol, is told she can’t have it and asked to leave. She leaves, then returns shouting and threatening people. At one point on the video she is seen standing on a chair while screaming. She called the restaurant obscene employees names. She threatened to shoot them. Officers come in and ask her to leave and she refuse. Then, on video, she resists arrest and when the officer warns her that her resisting could lead to her breaking her arm she’s a victim? Only if you live in a world where you have no idea what victimhood actually is or looks like, is Clemons an actual “victim”. Yes, her dress came down. That’s not the police officers’ fault. Had she not resisted arrest, it wouldn’t have happened. The officers ask her friend to fix it as soon as they have the situation under control. Wardrobe malfunctions can be a terrible side effect of a lawful arrest. In the future maybe the woman shouldn’t have behaved the way she did to warrant an arrest, or perhaps she shouldn’t have rolled around and tried to stop the officers from cuffing her — then she wouldn’t have had to worry about the wardrobe problems. Just a thought on the complaints about her dress coming down. Facts don’t matter to some (read in this case: many) these days. The woman has already raised over $12,000 on a GoFund me page that inaccurately sums up the incident. That’s $12,000 that could go to so many kids and causes that need it, but instead it will go to a woman whose violent tirade has gone viral with a misinformation campaign aimed at discrediting cops who were simply doing their job. One author on The Cut asks, “Who will stand up for Chikesa Clemons?” The author starts out saying, “While watching the video of 25-year-old Chikesia Clemons at a Waffle House in Saraland, Alabama, I realized Chikesia could have easily been me, my friends, or my cousins.” Well Brittney Packnett if you and your cousins trespass, threaten violence and resist arrest, then yes, this too could happen to you. Because those are the reasons this happened to Clemons. Not her race. Her actions. Period. An important fact to keep in mind is this incident happened the same day — Sunday morning — as the shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee that killed four. So here we have a drunk woman saying she could come back and shoot up the place and officers and employees were suppose to do what? Just ignore her? That sounds ridiculous. We are living in time in which law enforcement officers have to worry about being called racist or sexist, just because they are doing their jobs. Sometimes the facts reveal actual bias was an issue. Sometimes the facts show that the cops did the right thing. How anyone can look at Clemons’ video, read the witness testimony, and still see this as anything but another drunk person arrested for their own dumb choices is beyond me. But to the cops who are getting very little support I say, the facts are on your side. Stay safe men (and women) in blue. Thank you for all you do.
Randall Woodfin takes unorthodox approach: ‘Give me me your gun… I’ll help you find a job’
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is taking an unorthodox approach to tackling his city’s crime problem. He’s telling residents that if they’re down on the luck and have a gun to turn it over to him, and he’ll personally help them find a job. “Give me your gun and I will personally help you get a job,” Woodfin said Saturday morning while speaking with members of the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists according to AL.com. Thus far in 2018, there have been 34 homicides within Birmingham’s city limits. Only five have been classified “justifiable,” which is perhaps the reason Woodfin is thinking outside of the box on how to curb crime in his city and offering to personally get involved in the solution. “We have a full breach of public safety in this community,” he continued. “If we don’t attack crime, nothing else matters.” But Woodfin doesn’t think he holds all the answers to the city’s problems — he says he’s also open to hearing suggestions from others. “There is an element in our city that doesn’t care about other people’s lives, Woodfin explained. “If any organization has a better way of stopping them than arresting them, show me. I will sit with them as long as needed… I’m willing to talk with any group, but they’ve got to be on the solutions end.”
Birmingham’s Randall Woodfin needs to prioritize results, not photo ops
I really don’t like being the voice of discontent. Especially when I’m criticizing the Homecoming King. I meant to say my new ever so popular Mayor. Some will say that I’m not giving him a fair break; it is in fact quite early in his tenure but when we let up on our politicians even the ones (or maybe especially the ones) who are likable we risk setting a bad precedent. When we make excuses for them. When we turn a blind eye to their actions or inactions we are setting ourselves up for future failure. Yesterday, Alabama Today posted a story on Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin’s promises made versus promises kept for his first 100 days. If you didn’t read it – in summary most of his promises are still a work in progress. Which would be fine but I didn’t set the 100 day limit. Neither did you. He did. Which is why it’s so meaningful that someone point out that he didn’t make self imposed deadlines. We gave the mayor’s office the opportunity to respond to the status of various promises we couldn’t find kept. It took quite a while to get a response back. Hopefully the Mayor, who made transparency a cornerstone of his campaign improves on that. Many of the promises were met with messages that the results or the programs were forthcoming. Of the 15 promises we checked 6.5 were completed — so less than 50%. And that’s giving him credit for downsizing his police detail by one, instead of eliminating it altogether. More on that below. I know that Mayor Woodfin has developed quasi-celebrity status in our city since he bested former Mayor William Bell back in October. Some would say that’s part of how he won, selling himself, and his personality, as a new brand for the city. I get it too. He’s young, affable, and he united and mobilized the voters in this city in a way that shook the establishment Birmingham oldguard to its core. He was in the cover of About Town magazine recently. He received lots of attention for jumping out of an airplane last week. But if I see one more puff-piece about him or his administration, or one more gloss over his broken promises — I’m going to scream. If the rest of our city was run like the mayor’s PR shop we’d be in good shape. It’s as if they have inside men in nearly every outlet in the city. Oh wait, they do. They have some of Birmingham’s finest former journalists working for the mayor in a public relations capacity: Edward Bowser who used to work for AL.com. As well as Rick Journey, a former newscaster for WBRC FOX6 who for a while had his own pubic affairs shop and Chandra Temple from the Birmingham Times. So the city may not be seeing the results they need yet, but the mayor’s reputation and image of things getting done is certainly being well taken care of. Not necessarily the most compelling thing that could be going on in our city, but it is something. That said, I’m actually a fan of Woodfin. I’ve met him briefly twice. The first time, during his campaign I stopped him on a sidewalk outside of Urban Standard (my favorite cafe in Birmingham) because he was wearing a Woodfin sticker. I had at up to that point during his campaign cycle had two people come knock on my door for him. I also had received several phone calls from campaign volunteers and so being a veteran of the field every time I saw someone who was a Woodfin volunteer, I was stopping to tell them what a great job they were doing. Lo and behold it was the soon to be mayor himself. Needless to say at the time I wish I had paid closer attention to the photos on palm cards the door knockers left behind. He was polite and humble, and noted how proud he was of his campaign team. As he should have been. My concern with the mayor is that he and his staff focus on more than just his image and adding all his favorite people from around town to committees to study problems. We need results. We don’t need them after these committees can have a dozen meetings. We need results today. For example: the police department and crime. Yes, there should be a long term strategy for addressing our town’s violence, burglaries and other crimes. There should be public/private partnerships with churches and non-profits, but what we need right now are bodies on the street. What we need is leadership at the department that is focused on the right things. We need accountability with how detectives are handling cases and how money is being spent. My personal experience with the police department both as a resident and as a reporter have been at a D- minus level. Just yesterday, I received a Facebook message from a young lady who was a victim of a crime last month. She clearly Googled her detectives name (the same detective I had who dropped the ball and did nearly nothing…okay did nothing) after being infuriated by the lack of progress in her case and found my story where I detailed the issues I had with my break-in experience and the same lack of police response. Note: I never did receive information from the Public Information Officer over there despite numerous emails. Rather, they just flat-out ignored me because they did not like the editorial I wrote. There’s a new one there now. Alabama Today will resend and see where that gets us. While the mayor is working on replacing the previous police chief who resigned last year, it was reported yesterday his interim replacement had his own personal issues and he resigned as well. The mayor is now in the process of selecting a permanent police chief lets hope for the sake of the city that he nails the pick
Randall Woodfin’s ambitious plan for Birmingham: a look at promises kept and works in progress
During his campaign for mayor Randall Woodfin made a bevy of promises to the people of Birmingham to revitalize the city and help restore trust in local government. Many of the promises he said he would accomplish within his first 100 days in office. Surpassing 100 days in office last month, Mayor Woodfin commemorated his first 100 days in office by presenting The Woodfin Way, his 2018 mayoral transition report, during an event at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham, Ala. As part of our efforts to hold state leaders accountable, Alabama Today decided to look back on Woodfin’s specific 100 days campaign promises and see where he is on accomplishing them. We allowed his office the opportunity to respond to the outstanding commitments he has yet made and have included additional accomplishments. Investing in Birmingham’s Transportation Infrastructure Within my first 100 days, I would commission the Director of Planning and the City Traffic Engineer to identify priority streets, bridges and sidewalks for inclusion in a four-year capital improvement plan that will inform my Administration’s infrastructure investment priorities. Done Within the first 100 days, I would work with the City Council to adopt a Complete Streets Ordinance to guide all future road projects in Birmingham. Done. In my first 100 days, I would expedite the adoption and implementation of the Sidewalk Master Plan ensuring that our sidewalks are safe and walkable. Done. An Opportunity Agenda for Birmingham Residents and Businesses Within my first 100 days, I would convene a Small Business Task Force of city agencies and Birmingham small businesses to develop a proposal that would automate all of the City processes to obtain licenses and permits, increase transparency in the permitting and procurement process, identify and repeal or reform any city regulations or processes that are unduly burdensome for Birmingham’s small businesses, and create a “one stop shop” for Birmingham’s small businesses that would offer free consultative sessions to small business owners on the City regulatory process. Via the mayor’s office: The Small Business Task Force is scheduled to be launched in the coming weeks. Revitalizing Our Neighborhoods Within the first 100 days, I would work with each City Councilor to appoint 10-member revitalization boards to convene neighborhood hearings and identify neighborhood revitalization priorities for the next four years. Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor has launched monthly town hall meetings in conjunction with each city councilor. In addition, on the matter of neighborhood revitalization, a reminder that once completed the BJCC expansion will generate an estimated $9.9 million each year in additional revenue. For the first time in Birmingham history those funds will be dedicated solely to helping revitalize our neighborhoods. An Inclusive Birmingham for all Residents Hire an LGBT liaison to serve on my executive staff within the first 100 days. Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor announced his intention to establish The Office of Social Justice during The First 100. This office will include the LGBTQ liaison. The office and liaison will be announced in the coming weeks. Restoring pride and trust in City Hall Within the first 100 days, I would identify a City Council sponsor for an ordinance establishing a “participatory budgeting” pilot program where neighborhood leadership and Birmingham residents set the priorities for development projects in their neighborhoods. Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor has publicly stated that he will launch the participatory budgeting pilot program in the next fiscal year due to the lack of time available in this fiscal year. Within the first 100 days, I would meet with each City Council member to identify key shared district priorities between them and my office and commit to resolving these concerns during my first term. Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor has met with each member of the Birmingham City Council to identify key shared priorities. Within the first 100 days, I would assign interagency rapid response teams of city agencies to each City Council member that can quickly address city services issues in their districts. Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor will announce the interagency rapid response team in May 2018. Within the first 100 days, I would commission the City Chief Information Office to make my travel schedule and expenditures easily accessible and searchable on the City website. Via the mayor’s office: The Mayor will announce a major transparency initiative in May 2018 which will include the travel schedule. Within the first 100 days, I would eliminate the funding used for Mayor Bell’s security detail and reinvest the savings into the Division of Youth Services. Half-way done. Woodfin downsized the detail by one officer, after promising to eliminate it. Banning any relatives of the Mayor from working for the City in any role that could influence procurement decisions. Via the mayor’s office: Work is pending to address this issue. Within the first 100 days, I would work with the City Council to adopt a nepotism policy that would ban any of my close relatives from working for the City in any role that involved procurement decisions. Via the mayor’s office: Work is pending to address this issue. Other promises Work with our state delegation to institute term limits so that no Mayor of Birmingham – including myself – can run for more than two consecutive four-year terms. Done. After I win on October 3, 2017, I will begin the process of appointing transition teams for each city agency, commission, and board. Done. Other milestones the Mayor’s office is touting: Launched executive search for six city department heads Held weekly mayor staff meetings and department head meetings Served 8,000+ citizens more than 11,000 meals in warming stations Reinstituted employee COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) and longevity pay Launched new city websiteLaunched customer and employee-centric initiatives Secured unanimous vote on BJCC renovation and expansion project Instituted ticket distribution fair practices Hosted Public Works Employee Engagement Addressed major facilities Issues (elevators, heating, air) Launched Operation Step Up Hosted inaugural State of the Community event
Innovate Birmingham prepares students for tech jobs
The 28 graduates of an Innovate Birmingham program are “the full definition of getting it right” according to Birmingham’s mayor and “how workforce development is supposed to work” according to an Alabama Power executive. The graduates were feted at a commencement ceremony at Alabama Power corporate headquarters on April 13 where UAB President Ray Watts presented them with their certificates. Each quarter, the Innovate Birmingham Development Program prepares students for careers in Birmingham’s growing tech sector through training via the I AM BHAM coding bootcamp and Generation IT bootcamp. Friday’s class was the fourth graduating class in the program. Innovate Birmingham holds graduation for tech students from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo. I AM BHAM, a 14-week program, offers short-term, fast-track, intensive training for full stack and front-end web development. The 12-week Generation IT program offers an IT specialist training program for students to receive their CompTIA A+ certification. Both programs, held onsite at Innovation Depot in Birmingham, allow students to interact daily with potential employers. More than 25 employers – including corporations such as Alabama Power, BBVA Compass, Regions Financial and Protective Life – support the program and offer graduates jobs. John Hudson, senior vice president of Marketing and Business Development at Alabama Power, said a program that can take someone who was unemployed, train them in a new skill and promise them a job upon graduation “is how workforce development is supposed to work.” “All of us who work on economic development in Birmingham are trying to move this community and this city toward a more technology-based economy,” Hudson said. “If we’re going to do that, workforce is going to continue to be prominent in us getting there.” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said the Magic City’s economy is hitched to growing the technology industry. “As we look at what our strengths are and what our strengths can be, IT technology and innovation is something we need to triple down on and have a full investment in,” Woodfin said. He said economic development is ultimately an investment in people and the Innovate Birmingham program epitomizes that idea. “This is a full definition of getting it right,” Woodfin said. Watts said the program is an extension of UAB’s mission. “As we looked at the needs in Birmingham, we realized there was a subset of our young people who have not had the opportunity yet to be in the right place at the right time to develop those educational skills,” he said. The program was made possible, in large part, by a $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. Josh Carpenter, director of the Birmingham Office of Economic Development, was instrumental in constructing the partnership that pursued that grant when he was at UAB. He was at the commencement. “Sustaining the economy through a qualified and diverse workforce is absolutely fundamental to our success in creating the innovation of the future,” Carpenter said. “This is laying a pipeline for us to be able to showcase around the country that we have a best-in-class program that can train people and equip them with the skills they need to succeed very quickly in a workforce that demands more nimble and qualified talent.” Watts said he was doing more than handing graduates their certifications: He was handing them a better Birmingham. “It’s a great opportunity to give our young people skills and knowledge that will allow them to get a really good job and provide for their families, and help their neighborhoods and the entire city be successful,” Watts said. Republished with the permission of Alabama Newscenter.
Jackie Robinson Day in Birmingham remembers the legendary baseball player
Michelle Clemon has been a baseball fan for only two or three years. But the Yale University product has long appreciated history. That love of history is what drew her to the Negro Southern League Museum (NSLM) for a celebration of Jackie Robinson Day. “It’s undeniable Mr. Robinson’s contribution to American history,” said Clemon, the daughter of former federal Judge U.W. Clemon. “Between my love of history and my love of sports, I’m here today to honor and recognize his contribution.” Throughout professional baseball, April 15 is designated to acknowledge the day Robinson made his debut in Major League Baseball in 1947. Initiated for the first time on April 15, 2004, Jackie Robinson Day celebrates him being the first black player of the modern era. Robinson’s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers – now the Los Angeles Dodgers – ended some 80 years of baseball segregation. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, remembered for his accomplishments wearing the 42 jersey. For one day, all players, coaches, managers and umpires wear 42 on their uniforms. The Parkside District was the central point of the celebration in Birmingham, with festivities at the museum and recognition at Regions Field as the Birmingham Barons hosted the Montgomery Biscuits. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin was on hand for a program at the NSLM. “I think we need to remember the connection of racial barriers that Jackie Robinson broke down,” he said. “It started the movement for African-Americans across the entire nation. Not just sports but in all accommodations and walks of life to make sure there was equal opportunity.” Ron Jackson, a Birmingham native who played in the Major Leagues, said Robinson paved the way for everybody. He added a “tip of my hat” to the late player’s wife. “She had to be there, too, and take it in the stands and hear all the bad things they said about her husband.” Galvin Billups of Trussville was at the museum with his sons Caleb, 7, and Micah, 4. He said Jackie Robinson Day is significant as a chance to memorialize Robinson. “I get to teach my children his contribution and have a sense of black pride,” he said. James Robinson, also of Trussville, was there with his sons Brandon, 9, and Jonathan, 6. He said Brandon read a book about Robinson and picked his number 42 for his youth baseball jersey. “He loved the Jackie Robinson story and how hard he worked to get where he wanted to be,” the father said, “and how he transcended the sport.” Leroy “Pirate” Miller Jr. is a former Negro Leaguer who played with the Birmingham Black Barons and the Philadelphia Stars. “It seems like it’s more important today than it was back in the past,” the Leeds resident said. “This is a great day for all blacks to have a chance to really know something about baseball and where you’ve come from.” But Jackie Robinson Day was not solely celebrated by blacks. Mountain Brook’s Jacob Ray was at NSLM with his 8-year-old son, Shep. It was their first time there and the father said he was blown away. “It is absolutely amazing,” he said, adding that he grew up playing baseball and now coaches his son. “We’re right in the middle of the season, and what better way to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day than to come down here. “The history – not just baseball but race relations in general – is a big part of educating my son,” Ray said. “His Cub Scout troop went to the civil rights museum a few months ago, so he’s already in tune to that and interested in it. This is another chapter in that. To intertwine that with baseball is important for me to pass on to him. That’s a big reason we came out.” Jeremy Davis made the drive down from Huntsville with his family – wife, Tiffany, and sons Jackson, 11, and Jamison, 7. He would not have missed this event. “I’m a white man and I am married to an African-American woman and we have two biracial children,” he said. “It’s important for them to grow up and know both sides of their culture and where baseball began.” Next door at Regions Field, the Barons honored two guiding leaders for social change. One – Martin Luther King Jr. – raised his voice; the other – Robinson – raised his bat and glove. The Barons had planned to honor the 55th anniversary of King writing his “Letter From Birmingham Jail” on Saturday by wearing commemorative jerseys with text from that letter. The game was rained out and played Sunday as the opener of a doubleheader. The home team wore the MLK jerseys in Game 1 – a 2-1 Barons victory over the Biscuits. They changed to blue 42 jerseys for the nightcap, which the Barons lost 9-2. As the Barons warmed up for Game 2, 14-year-old Ethan Burnett of Pelham sat along the first base line. He yelled, “Hey, 42,” appealing for a Barons player – any player – to come his way. In the third inning of the game, an interesting exchange was heard in the media room. “We’ve got a guy warming up in the bullpen,” Barons’ staffer Stacy McGehee said. “Any idea who that is?” “Number 42,” fellow staffer Scott Roby replied. “He’s a right-hander.” For the record, it was Connor Walsh. The MLK jerseys, autographed by Barons players, were available at auction. Republished with the permission of Alabama Newscenter.
Randall Woodfin downsizes security detail after promise to eliminate it
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin downsized his security detail by one person following recommendations from the Birmingham police force. During his campaign, Woodfin often criticized the cost of then-Mayor William Bell’s security team. He made the decision to cut the detail upon taking office, Nov. 28, 2017 based on recommendations by police on how many officers were needed to effectively perform the job. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars a year go into paying for Mayor Bell’s security detail, which takes uniformed cops off our streets,” Woodfin said in a column he wrote for AL.com in March 2017. “These officers could be patrolling our neighborhoods, but instead, they’re protecting the mayor on the taxpayer’s dime. The mayor of Birmingham doesn’t need a full-time security detail, and as mayor, I would eliminate the security detail and have those officers reassigned to our highest-crime neighborhoods.” While it is not possible to make a full comparison of previous costs for the security detail, as the Woodfin administration has been in office just over four months, the combined salaries of the current detail during that span of time is $71,436. For perspective, the year-to-date salary for the same period one year ago was $109,954.42.
