BirminghamWatch

BirminghamWatch BirminghamWatch is a nonprofit news organizations that focuses on investigative and public service journalism in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Alabama Initiative for Independent Journalism, sponsor of BirminghamWatch, is a non-profit, non-partisan organization serving the civic good of Birmingham and Alabama by supporting journalism that makes a difference and citizen engagement with news that is fair, factual, unflinching and focused on important matters. We will concentrate on public service, investigative and explanatory reporting

as many news organizations do less of this challenging work. We are committed to local journalism that serves as a watchdog and focuses on government performance and transparency, education, the environment, and economic development and opportunity

This year's Penny Foundation Inc's Penny Games includes an esports competition and several rounds of debate looking at t...
10/02/2025

This year's Penny Foundation Inc's Penny Games includes an esports competition and several rounds of debate looking at the following resolution: “The impact of AI on Gen Z and Gen Alpha will have an adverse effect on their economic landscape.”

The debate event spotlights Birmingham as a tech hub where young people can build their careers.

Wil Jones remembers people being skeptical that anyone would visit a park in a largely abandoned industrial area along t...
09/27/2025

Wil Jones remembers people being skeptical that anyone would visit a park in a largely abandoned industrial area along the railroad tracks that separate Birmingham’s north and south sides.

“There were a tremendous amount of naysayers,” recalled Jones, who was a videographer covering City Council meetings at the time and now is president of the neighborhood association for Five Points South, which includes the park. “They were like, ‘Nobody’s going to go to a big park there. That makes no sense.’ And of course, they were all proven wrong.”

Fifteen years after Railroad Park opened, it’s clear that people came. So did a minor-league baseball field — and lots of businesses.

The park is credited with sparking commercial and residential growth in Birmingham’s downtown area.

The nationally recognized statistical ratings organization, one of three designated by the Securities and Exchange Commi...
09/26/2025

The nationally recognized statistical ratings organization, one of three designated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, took its rating of Jefferson County sewer warrants from BBB to BBB+.

“It’s just a consistent review of the county’s warrants,” Angela Dixon, the county’s chief financial officer, said. “I think this is just an indication that they see the progress that we’ve made here at the county and everybody’s on the same page about what that rating needs to be.”

The change brings Fitch’s rating in line with other credit rating agencies.

Jefferson County, in turn, appealed the ruling on its stay request to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
09/26/2025

Jefferson County, in turn, appealed the ruling on its stay request to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The county has appealed the ruling to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Stephens, who represents the district where the data center is proposed, said the roadway that would complete the inters...
09/22/2025

Stephens, who represents the district where the data center is proposed, said the roadway that would complete the interstate loop around Birmingham should rate more highly than the data center.

Jimmie Stephens said many in his district also fear noise and environmental effects from the project.

Jefferson County fired the latest salvo in the legal battle over its commission district lines on Thursday, appealing U....
09/19/2025

Jefferson County fired the latest salvo in the legal battle over its commission district lines on Thursday, appealing U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala’s ruling earlier in the week that threw out the district map the county approved in 2021. She ruled that county officials had failed to show during the trial that race was not the primary factor.

The county contends the commission districts redrawn in 2021 were not based on race.

FYI - we've started work on our voter guide for the upcoming municipal runoff elections in Birmingham in October. We'll ...
09/04/2025

FYI - we've started work on our voter guide for the upcoming municipal runoff elections in Birmingham in October. We'll be updating with more information as it becomes available.

BirminghamWatch's ElectionWatch 2025 Birmingham municipal runoff election voter guide for Oct. 7, 2025.

The proposed ordinance would empower city officials to pursue foreclosure on nuisance properties in certain cases.“This ...
09/03/2025

The proposed ordinance would empower city officials to pursue foreclosure on nuisance properties in certain cases.

“This is a judicial process that targets the property and not the person,” Katrina Thomas, director of the city’s Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits, told councilors attending a Committee of the Whole meeting.

The move would give the city the power, and the money, to take over dilapidated properties.

The price tag will not only cover the replacement of the municipal court parking lot's gate but also the parking sensors...
09/03/2025

The price tag will not only cover the replacement of the municipal court parking lot's gate but also the parking sensors at the municipal court's parking lot. The project will also include upgrading the payment system to accept credit cards. The current equipment, which has been in place since before outgoing City Councilor Valerie Abbott took office in 2001, only accepts coins.

The agreement covers replacing the gate, parking sensors and payment system.

Incumbents Sherman Collins Jr., Derek Billups and Leticia W. Harvill are headed back to the Birmingham City Board of Edu...
08/27/2025

Incumbents Sherman Collins Jr., Derek Billups and Leticia W. Harvill are headed back to the Birmingham City Board of Education after being reelected Tuesday night, but it appears runoffs will be needed to determine the winners in three of the seats.

Candidates in Districts 2, 8 and 9 did not receive the 50% plus 1 vote needed to win those races outright. Runoffs will be held Oct. 7.

Incumbents Sherman Collins Jr., Derek Billups and Leticia W. Harvill are headed back to the Birmingham City Board of Education; runoffs are needed in Districts 2, 8 and 9.

With three incumbents — Councilors Crystal Smitherman, Wardine Alexander and Clinton Woods — winning their races outrigh...
08/27/2025

With three incumbents — Councilors Crystal Smitherman, Wardine Alexander and Clinton Woods — winning their races outright Tuesday and two incumbents — Hunter Williams and Darrell O’Quinn — running unopposed, the makeup of the Birmingham City Council will remain largely the same.

Incumbent Councilors Crystal Smitherman, Wardine Alexander and Clinton Woods won election along with newcomer Josh Vasa. Races is Districts 4, 8 and 9 will be decided in runoffs.

Amid cheers of threepeat and “Randemic,” Randall Woodfin won his third election for mayor of Birmingham on Tuesday night...
08/27/2025

Amid cheers of threepeat and “Randemic,” Randall Woodfin won his third election for mayor of Birmingham on Tuesday night, a feat not achieved since former Mayor Richard Arrington Jr. ended his five-term run in 1999.

The 44-year-old lawyer and former school board president captured 74.87% of the vote, with almost 25,000 ballots cast in his name.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin was reelected Tuesday with almost 75% of the vote in a nine-candidate race.

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