“There are two faces to any disaster – the first is the first responders’ response – addressing lifesaving and stabilization efforts. The second is the long-term recovery: how to help people get back on their feet,” Langloh said.

United Way of Central Alabama adjusts Meals on Wheels during coronavirus pandemic from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Langloh said the response during these first few weeks has focused on maintaining critical services — for example, making sure meals continue to be delivered to homebound seniors, while instituting precautions to protect volunteers and the vulnerable, older population receiving food.

Another immediate need was ramping up the 24-hour, 211 call center so it could handle the crush of requests for help. In the past two weeks, the center has gone from a normal three to five operators manning phones and computers to up to 30 operators, working remotely from home.

“Those pieces have fallen into place,” Langloh said.

But just as the impact of COVID-19 is evolving, so is the response. Volunteers are still delivering hot meals. But over the longer run, putting the volunteer team in daily contact with seniors – even if maintaining a safe distance – can increase the health risk. So, UWCA volunteers are preparing to make bigger deliveries of food, but less frequently.

On Thursday, volunteers with vehicles lined up at UWCA headquarters in Birmingham to receive the first of nearly 7,000 boxes of “shelf-stable” items, including cans of stew and tuna, beans and rice, packaged snacks and single-serving cereal containers. The packages, to be delivered over the next two weeks, will provide life-sustaining food to the most vulnerable populations: older and fragile individuals who can’t leave their homes and may not be able to receive visitors for an extended period while the virus moves through.

Becky Wright, director of Meals on Wheels for UWCA, said volunteers typically deliver 1,100 hot meals daily. She said the shelf-stable packages will provide “extra support … extra assurance” as the organization temporarily shifts away from delivering daily meals. UWCA has lined up volunteers to make daily phone calls to all meal recipients during the crisis to ensure things are OK.

Scott McGlaun of Hoover was one of the volunteers who packed his pickup with food packages. An executive at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, like many people he is working remotely through the crisis and has flexibility in his schedule to help with this special food delivery.

“Our community is only as strong as our most vulnerable population,” McGlaun said. “Those of us who can, we should be doing what we can to help.”

Langloh said the No. 1 concern of those calling United Way is food insecurity – “fear of running out and not knowing where to go to get food.” He said while local school systems are doing a tremendous job of getting meals to vulnerable children, there’s a serious and growing need for meals among younger adults, ages 18 to 55, who live paycheck to paycheck and are getting laid off as businesses close. At the same time, food pantries and soup kitchens that rely in part on large supermarket chains and brand food companies to help fill their shelves are seeing their supply chain choked as companies focus on keeping retail stores stocked.

Langloh said as unemployment deepens in the next few weeks, families of laid-off workers will have pressing needs beyond food, such as paying for housing and basic services. “This is a real crisis that is just starting to hit us.”

And there’s another growing need, Langloh said: sustaining many smaller nonprofits that provide a host of important services in the community but are seeing their own revenues squeezed.

“Most nonprofits – a big part of their budgets come from fees for services,” Langloh said. But many of those agencies are having trouble providing fee-paid services because the virus has cut them off from direct contact with clients. Canceled fundraisers and donors turning their attention to other organizations focused on critical coronavirus-related relief have only compounded the problem for nonprofits.

“People don’t think about nonprofits as small businesses, but they are just as hamstrung right now,” Langloh said. “The needs these organizations address is not going away. We need to keep these nonprofits in business now, so they are here to serve us when all this is over.”

To generate financial resources for the many challenges around COVID-19, United Way of Central Alabama and United Way organizations across the state have launched a network of community crisis funds to provide grants for immediate human needs and local nonprofits. Donations can be made to support a United Way operating in a particular community, or to help multiple United Way organizations across a broader stretch of the state.

Langloh said UWCA is working with other nonprofits and charitable organizations, such as the Alabama Power Foundation, the Birmingham Strong small business loan initiative, corporations and others to coordinate and address the many critical needs.

Learn more about United Way of Central Alabama’s emergency relief efforts and its other, ongoing initiatives at uwca.org.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

In the Birmingham suburb of Homewood, for example, park facilities are closed. Same goes for Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in the northern Birmingham suburb of Pinson, and the city pier and north beach area in the Mobile suburb of Fairhope. Mobile city parks, meanwhile, remain open, although officials are strongly advising visitors to adhere to social distancing standards. Parks also are open in Tuscaloosa and Tuscaloosa County, although community centers have closed and programming has been suspended.

“We have beautiful parks and walking paths our residents can take advantage of to enhance their mental, physical and emotional well-being,” said Anitra Belle Henderson, director of community affairs with the city of Mobile.

“We are following the joint guidelines provided by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the National Recreation and Park Association that are encouraging people to get out and exercise by walking, biking, running and skating on trails and various paved paths within the park system. However, we do discourage people from using playground equipment, workout stations, water fountains, restrooms and pavilions,” Henderson added.

In Birmingham, the city Park and Recreation Board shuttered all facilities, including dozens of community parks, until April 6. But the nonprofit-operated Railroad Park is open with officials there encouraging social distancing. Park staff have removed all tables and chairs from the central pavilion to discourage large gatherings.

Across the city at the nonprofit Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve, a surge in visitors and overflow parking issues raised health and safety concerns, leading staff to close restrooms and pavilions. The preserve’s nature center had already been closed to visitors. Walking and hiking trails at Ruffner are now restricted to members and city of Birmingham residents. “While we support exercise and getting out in the fresh air, we are asking visitors to think before they put themselves, our staff, others and first responders at risk,” said a statement on Ruffner’s website.

At Alabama State Parks, many of which are in rural areas, facilities are open but new restrictions are being put in place.

Officials have now closed beaches and beach access – not only at Gulf State Park but at other parks that have freshwater reservoirs, such as the popular beach area at Oak Mountain State Park. About half of the state’s 21 parks have some type of beach access.

Individuals and families can still camp and reserve spaces for recreational vehicles at state parks, but restaurant facilities are limited to offering takeout only, and all gift shops and stores are closed. Playgrounds and playground equipment, and caves at Rickwood and Cathedral Caverns state parks, also are closed.

“Right now, it’s a good time and it’s a challenging time,” said Jerry Weisenfeld, promotions manager for Alabama State Parks.

“We are here for the enjoyment, recreation and relaxation of the people of Alabama,” Weisenfeld said. He encouraged visitors to practice safe, social distancing, but acknowledged that “not all are following the rules.”

“Just like everybody else, we are trying to encourage only small groups or no groups at all,” Weisenfeld said.

Beth Thomas contributed to this report.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Since that time, a recovery plan for the fish has been developed that includes ongoing efforts by public and private partners to try to protect and enhance the few habitats where the darter lives.

On Saturday morning, volunteers, guided by conservation experts with the nonprofit Freshwater Land Trust and with support from the local REI Co-op, took on the task of uprooting privet and other non-native vegetation growing along the tributary, known by locals as Glenn Springs. The volunteers included local neighborhood residents, students from UAB and others who signed up through the local REI store’s website.

By lunchtime, volunteers had opened up a section of the creek that had been hidden by a wall of nearly impenetrable privet – an Asian import that is notorious for choking out more beneficial, local plants. Darters need natural vegetation and sunlight, in cool, clear spring water to survive.

Experts with the land trust and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are expected to return soon to the springs to continue the work to help improve condition of the site, which also will help improve water quality for the teeny darter.

Recently the land trust, which is supported by Alabama Power and the Alabama Power Foundation, completed a habitat restoration project at another site where the watercress darter lives, in the Roebuck Springs area of Birmingham. The land trust worked with the city and Fish and Wildlife experts on the project, which included removing asphalt from a city park near the springs and replacing it with natural bioswales, which can slow hot, polluted water from summer rains hitting paved surfaces and filter the water before it flows into the creek. Another project to protect the darter is continuing at Seven Springs, a tributary of Valley Creek in Birmingham, in coordination with neighboring Faith Apostolic Church.

Learn more about efforts to protect the watercress darter in Alabama at www.freshwaterlandtrust.org.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

In 2017, she was elected to Miles’ board of trustees and co-chaired newly elected Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin’s transition team. Then, in 2018, she was appointed to the Birmingham Airport Authority, where her colleagues immediately elected her chair. She also had her own consulting company, not to mention other, ongoing volunteer civic obligations.

But when longtime Miles President George French announced last year that he was leaving to become president of Clark Atlanta University, the Miles board of trustees quickly turned to Knight to serve as interim president of the 1,700-student college in Fairfield near Birmingham.

“I was absolutely floored,” Knight said.

“I deliberated long and hard after I got over the initial shock of being asked to consider this opportunity and I have continuously prayed for the wisdom, strength and courage it will take to lead this institution with integrity, compassion and a servant’s heart,” Knight said during a press conference announcing her appointment.

Bobbie Knight shares her plans for Miles College from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

“During this transition, the job before me is clear; first, to serve the students of Miles College by ensuring they receive a quality education, that they are equipped with the tools they need to be successful here and in the future and that they enjoy a safe and fulfilling campus life. Second, my job is to maintain a fiscally sound institution. I have a business background and my plan is to use business principles and practices to keep this institution financially strong.”

It didn’t take long for Knight to make a mark.

In January, Miles announced it had received its single largest contribution from an individual donor in school history – $1 million.

The donation came from a celebrity more often associated with another Alabama institute of higher learning: Charles Barkley, the former Auburn University and NBA basketball great and television commentator.

Barkley singled out Knight in his comments about the donation. “I’ve gotten to know Bobbie Knight over the last year and it was really something I wanted to do,” Barkley said in a statement. “To have a female president is a big deal and I want to help Bobbie be as successful as she can be.”

Knight said that even though Barkley didn’t attend Miles or any other historically black college or university, “he understands how vitally important HBCUs have been in this country.”

Barkley’s donation drew national attention, and Knight hoped it would set the stage for more contributions as Miles embarked on a $100 million fundraising campaign. Before the month was over, the school announced it had received a $50,000 contribution to its football program from Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback and Hueytown native Jameis Winston.

“Having someone of Jameis’ stature selflessly contribute to our growth here at Miles gives credence to what we are trying to accomplish, which is to give our student-athletes the best collegiate experience possible,” Knight said in a news release.

That Barkley cited his relationship with Knight in making his donation is hardly the first time Knight has been recognized for her skills – and for making a difference.

Knight grew up in the Birmingham neighborhood of Zion City, one of five children. Her mother worked as a pastry chef in the long-closed Pizitz department store bakery. Her dad was an inspector at Stockham Valves and Fittings, at that time an important member of Birmingham’s heavy industrial sector. He passed away when Knight was 14.

“Bobbie truly comes from humble means,” said Robert Holmes, a retired Alabama Power executive and longtime civic leader who serves as vice chair of the Samford University board of trustees. Holmes watched Knight rise through the company ranks, starting with an evening shift in customer service and moving through positions of increasing importance.

“She has an unparalleled work ethic,” Holmes said, noting how Knight went back to school to get a law degree while working full-time.

After becoming a vice president at the power company, Knight was chosen among 21 women worldwide for the annual Leadership Foundation Fellows Program of the International Women’s Forum. The exclusive fellowship for female executives included study at Harvard University and the Judge School of Business at Cambridge University in England.

Knight has been honored with numerous other accolades through the years, including Outstanding Alumni in Public Relations by the University of Alabama School of Communications and recipient of the Women’s History Award from the Birmingham Chapter of the NAACP.

She has served on numerous civic and nonprofit boards, including Red Mountain Theatre, VOICES for Alabama’s Children, the Alabama Literacy Council and United Way of Central Alabama. She helped to create Birmingham’s Railroad Park as a member of its founding board and served as chair of the board of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

“When Bobbie gets engaged in projects, she gets engaged,” said Norm Davis, a retired financial services executive who has known Knight for 25 years.

“Bobbie is very strategic in her thinking and her actions,” said Davis, who was working with French on plans for Miles’ fundraising campaign when French announced his move to Atlanta.

“She’s just done everything right,” he said about Knight’s new role as college president. “She’s one of those people that, when she sees something where she can make a difference, she is always willing to roll up her sleeves and go to work.”

He recalls observing Knight on a scalding summer afternoon, watching practice for the Miles marching band. “She is all over the campus, engaging the kids. She is working on strengthening the graduation rate, recruiting students, building relationships.

“She continues to build the community,” Davis added, noting that he and Knight both believe a vibrant Miles College can serve as an economic engine in Fairfield and for western Jefferson County.

“I think we have the opportunity to make a huge difference in this region. That’s what I see,” Knight said.

“She is going to leave Miles better than how she found it,” Holmes said, citing Knight’s passion for the community that raised her.

“Bobbie wants to give back to the city, and the county and the state, from where we’ve both gotten so much from,” said Holmes, also a Birmingham native. “She is a living example of what one can do.”

Power Moves, an ongoing series by Alabama NewsCenter, celebrates the contributions of multicultural leaders in Alabama. Visit AlabamaNewsCenter.com throughout the year for inspiring stories of those working to elevate the state.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Extending the Jones Valley Trail to Avondale’s 41^st Street always seemed like a no-brainer. That dream came a step closer to reality as the nonprofit Freshwater Land Trust unveiled plans to raise funds to complete the next phase of the trail.

“We are thrilled to move forward on this long-anticipated project,” said Rusha Smith, Freshwater Land Trust executive director. She said the Land Trust is working with the city of Birmingham and a number of landowners to complete design and construction documents. The next step is to solicit and secure funds for construction, which the Land Trust hopes to begin this year and complete in time for the 2021 World Games.

When complete, the Jones Valley Trail will be a safe, car-free route for walkers, joggers and bicyclists to travel some 2.5 miles to the east, from Birmingham’s booming Parkside area, which includes Railroad Park and Regions Field, through Lakeview with its expanding housing, restaurants and clubs, and on to Avondale. The Jones Valley Trail connects to downtown’s north and south sides, including the central business district, UAB and its medical complexes, as well as the neighborhoods of Highland Park, Forest Park, Glen Iris and Five Points South.

“The Jones Valley Trail is another great example of how trails, sidewalks and greenways can connect communities and inspire growth and economic development,” said Carolyn Buck, who directs the Red Rock Trail project for the Land Trust.

Conceived more than a decade ago, the Red Rock master plan envisions a 750-mile network of trails, sidewalks, greenways and “blueways” – accessible creeks and rivers where people can canoe and kayak – throughout Jefferson County, connecting nearly every community. To date, more than 115 miles of trails have been completed along six major corridors. The network is helping connect neighborhoods to major parks and open spaces across the county, including Vulcan Park and Museum, George Ward Park, Ruffner Mountain and Red Mountain Park. It sets the stage for expanding trails into surrounding counties. Alabama Power and the Alabama Power Foundation have long supported the Land Trust and efforts by others to expand parks and greenways in the Birmingham area and statewide.

Smith said fundraising for the Jones Valley Trail extension is underway. She said the project fits in with Birmingham’s sustainability goals, which include making the city more walkable and providing more transportation options that reduce the need to drive a car. In 2018 the city approved a new “complete streets” policy that is driving upgrades of city roadways to include sidewalks, bike lanes and other improvements. The policy is designed to encourage people to get outdoors and walk or bicycle, which provide important health benefits.

“There are so many benefits to having a true network of parks, trails and greenways in our community,” Smith said. “Extending Jones Valley Trail is another positive development in boosting quality of life for all of us who live here. But it also helps make Birmingham and Jefferson County even more attractive – for tourists, for people and businesses looking to relocate, and especially for young people and entrepreneurs who seek out communities with these amenities.”

Learn more about Red Rock Trail system and the Freshwater Land Trust at www.freshwaterlandtrust.org.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

During its successful run, which ends Dec. 31, more than 43,000 users took more than 218,000 rides, logging more than 252,000 miles. Now, privately owned bike and scooter companies have shown a strong interest in offering services in Birmingham. City officials are negotiating with potential vendors, with plans to have new shared-use transportation offerings available in spring 2020 for residents and visitors, including electric bicycles and scooters – and potentially more options.

Birmingham’s Zyp changed bike-share programs across North America from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

“We are at the close of the Zyp era, and we feel very good about what we’ve accomplished,” said David Fleming, REV Birmingham president and CEO. REV partnered with Regions, BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama, the Alabama Power Foundation, Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham to support Zyp.

“We set out five years ago with partners who believed in the potential of Birmingham joining the increasing number of cities implementing bike-share systems,” Fleming said. Indeed, Birmingham became the first city in North America to install a bike-share system that offered electric-assist bicycles, with 37 docking stations, powered by solar panels, spread across several central city neighborhoods.

“That was exciting – to do something that was state of the art. It got us a lot of positive attention as a city on the cutting edge, as far as the technology, and pointed to the progressiveness of Birmingham,” Fleming said.

Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn chairs the council’s Transportation Committee and has been closely involved in planning for the upcoming transition from Zyp to new transportation options.

“Zyp bike share really allowed people to understand that bikes were a viable means of transportation and an amenity that would benefit the city,” O’Quinn said.

“If you use Railroad Park as a metaphor, Zyp was the Railroad Park for multimodal transportation in Birmingham,” O’Quinn said, referring to the popular green space built in the heart of the city that helped spark hundreds of millions of dollars of redevelopment projects in downtown Birmingham.

O’Quinn agreed with Fleming that Zyp helped to spread the word beyond the city’s borders that Birmingham was a city focusing on innovation. “It went beyond what was generally accepted and put the city on a lot of people’s radar. There were immediate benefits, but it also added to a more general perception – that Birmingham was a city where new ideas were possible.”

That growing perception, he and Fleming said, added to Birmingham’s allure – drawing more people to enjoy downtown, recruiting younger people to come to live and work in the city, and attracting new businesses and entrepreneurs. Fleming said he’s heard from several recent business arrivals and startups that the city’s bike-share system was among the amenities that helped to draw them to Birmingham.

Another mission accomplished with Zyp was to make bike share inclusive and accessible. The system not only offered discounts for lower-income individuals but pushed into nearby underserved neighborhoods. O’Quinn said city officials are committed to making sure the system that replaces Zyp, which will no longer require docking stations, provides even more opportunities to serve a wider number of users in even more neighborhoods.

O’Quinn uses terminology that many people may not be familiar with when talking about where bike share and other forms of alternative transportation are headed: shared micromobility.

“For what it was, Zyp bike share was very successful,” O’Quinn said. “From an external perspective, people could look to Birmingham and see we were doing something completely innovative. Now, following the natural evolution of the industry, we are looking to transition to what shared-use, micromobility has become. When Zyp started, that term hadn’t even been invented yet.”

O’Quinn and Fleming said Zyp also helped inspire progress toward another goal: making the Birmingham region, where automobiles have long dominated, more bike- and pedestrian-friendly.

For example, since ZYP’s creation, the city of Birmingham has adopted a “complete streets” plan designed to add more sidewalks and bike lanes over time.

Keith Rawls, the director of Zyp, said helping make the city a more friendly place for bicyclists was part of the mission.

“In addition to proving our residents and visitors would use bikes to get around Birmingham, Zyp has also been advocating for more bike-friendly environments and policies,” Rawls said. “After five years of Zyp, we’re seeing more people than ever getting out of their cars, enjoying the city by bike, foot and more – a trend we hope to see continue.”

Meanwhile, more leaders across the Birmingham metro are taking a harder look at how to make the region better for walkers and bicyclists through better infrastructure, including the expansion of greenways that provide alternate routes for people to get around without getting behind the wheel.

Since Zyp’s inception, the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) – which conducted the early research and conceptual planning that preceded Zyp – has developed the B-Active plan – a visioning document for a broader multimodal transportation network for Jefferson and Shelby counties. It serves as a guide for the two counties and area municipalities to create more safe routes and better connections for walkers and bicyclists.

Hunter Garrison, a community planner at RPCGB, commutes by bicycle to his office from his home in the Crestwood North neighborhood, about five miles east of downtown. “I’ve spoken with many people who started bike-commuting with Zyp and liked it so much they went out and bought their own bike for commuting.

“Zyp has done a great job of increasing the visibility and profile of bicycling in the city,” Garrison added. He believes it also has had a positive effect, from a safety standpoint, on drivers. He said many local drivers have no interest in bike commuting themselves, but they are now more aware of bicyclists and the need to share the road.

He said the Zyp program has inspired elected officials’ interest in improving infrastructure for bicyclists. “Zyp was at the forefront of making the public realize that biking is a viable and fun way of getting around in Birmingham. That may be ZYP’s greatest legacy.”

O’Quinn said elected officials and community leaders are also exploring and testing other transportation ideas, inspired in part by the success of Zyp. He cited the city’s new Via microtransit pilot program, an on-demand ride-share program supported by the community foundation, which focuses on providing residents in underserved neighborhoods with more transportation options.

Meanwhile, the city is working with partners on final designs for the Birmingham Xpress, a new regional bus rapid-transit system designed to better connect the city and nearby communities. Construction is expected to be underway in late 2020.

Overall, O’Quinn said, there is a growing focus on “giving people options other than owning an automobile – which is not an option for everyone.”

“There is definitely a mentality and very strong intent that Birmingham should move in the direction that you don’t have to have a car to get around.”

(Courtesy Alabama News Center)

Last week, President Donald Trump announced he is nominating Brouillette to succeed Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who is expected to leave the position at the end of the year.

Smart Neighborhood is more than a leading-edge residential community; it is a research and demonstration project, where energy usage and performance data are collected from the distributed energy resources, as well as from the homes’ innovative features. The information is being analyzed to understand how to integrate new technologies into the electric grid and improve reliability while learning how to enhance the way homes are built and function to make people’s lives easier.

@ENERGY and @ORNL have worked with Alabama Power to develop and deploy this community’s transactive microgrid approach. The homes built in this community are 50-60% more efficient than a standard home. pic.twitter.com/wgwOypXCLn

— Dan Brouillette (@EnergyDepSec) October 25, 2019

The homes at Reynolds Landing provide a glimpse into what residential construction may look like in 20 years. The neighborhood’s intelligent technology communicates with each home’s heating, air conditioning and water-heating systems to determine the best way to provide energy.

Information gained from the advanced HVAC systems, heat pump water heaters and other technologies is helping Alabama Power determine which programs and services can provide new, creative energy solutions for customers.

In addition to Signature Homes, Smart Neighborhood was made possible through partnerships including the Electric Power Research Institute, as well as technology vendors Carrier, Vivint and Rheem, among others.

Learn more about Smart Neighborhood at www.smartneighbor.com.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Through its corporate accelerators, Techstars develops partnerships with corporations to add industry expertise through mentorships, business development opportunities and access to resources. Alabama Power is Techstars’ first electric utility partner.

“This partnership with Techstars is an exciting opportunity that supports our commitment to find better ways to serve our customers and elevate the state,” said Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite. “With a world-class accelerator program, the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator will be an important catalyst for Alabama to continue strengthening its reputation as a growth center for technology and energy innovation.”

“We’re thrilled to launch our first accelerator in Alabama in partnership with Alabama Power, with support from the EDPA and Department of Commerce. This accelerator program will combine these organizations’ dedication to economic development and electrical and utility innovation with our expertise and global network reach,” said Keith Camhi, Techstars senior vice president of Accelerators. “Founders addressing electrical and utility solutions who join our 2020 inaugural class are poised for three incredible months of mentorship and growth.”

The Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator will source applicants from around the world for the three-month intensive program.

“The Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator is a huge economic development win for the state,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “We have made recruiting technology-focused jobs a priority, and this initiative will help us advance toward our goal while also securing more venture capital and resources for all of our companies to grow and prosper.”

Canfield said the partnership between Alabama Power and Techstars, with support from Commerce and the EDPA, is a direct result of changes made to the Growing Alabama Credit through the Alabama Incentives Modernization Act, which went into effect in August. The changes include an incentive for qualifying tech accelerators, and this is the first time it has been utilized.

“Through the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator, we want to show these high-growth potential companies that the state has the right mechanisms in place for them to start, stay and grow,” said Steve Spencer, The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama president. “We are excited to welcome Techstars to Alabama.”

In addition to support provided by Commerce and the EDPA, Altec, PowerSouth, and numerous organizations and companies throughout the state were involved in the recruitment of Techstars. These supporters will have a key role in the accelerator process, with the common goal of growing the number of startup companies based in Alabama.

The first class is planned for 2020. Each class of the annual mentorship-driven accelerator will run for 13 weeks and accept 10 startups. Throughout the program, startups will receive seed investment, mentorship through Techstars’ worldwide network of business leaders, and business coaching through the program’s educational components.  At the end of the 90 days, the program will culminate in Demo Day, a public pitch event.

For more information visit the Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator program page at www.techstars.com.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

They are among a small band of dedicated volunteers who make up the Blountsville Historical Society and who, over the years, have helped create and nurture a remarkable attraction in this town of 1,600 about midway between Birmingham and Huntsville on U.S. Highway 231.

Blountsville Historical Park features a collection of restored 19^th century pioneer cabins from the area and beyond; a post office building that dates to 1836; a rare log barn; an old jail building; a blacksmith shop; and a museum housed in a structure dating to the 1830s. There’s a small chapel, a pavilion (available for weddings, etc.) and a café that operates Thursdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

And there are special events that take place at the park throughout the year, drawing people from near and far. Come by on the second Friday night in August for the final “Pickin’ in the Park” this summer, which typically features live bluegrass, country or gospel music. In October, the annual Homestead Festival takes place the first Saturday of the month, and come next spring, the annual Daffodil Festival is slated for the third Saturday in March. There are also events on July 4 and during the Christmas holidays.

“We’ve worked really hard,” Betty Alexander said. “It’s a good example of wonderful volunteerism.”

Indeed, in 2016 the Blountsville Historical Society was awarded the Small Town Preservation Award from the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation for its good works. And this small town has a lot of history to tell.

Blountsville first appeared on a map in 1819 as “Wassausey” – a Native American village. According to Wikipedia, the word means “bear meat cabin,” which was the name of an Indian translator who lived in the area. The name stuck and became the first name for the town by white settlers who rushed in during “Alabama Fever” in the early 19^th century.

According to Betty Alexander, remains of the road the settlers used on their westward journey cut through the back of the historical park. Legend has it that both Andrew Jackson and Daniel Boone traveled the road. “So many people came down it” during the rush, Alexander said, “they say it looked like the children of Israel being led by Moses – except for the cussing.”

Some of those folks decided to stay in the area, which was blessed with natural springs. In fact, local spring water is a commercial commodity – bottled and sold by Blue Spring Living Water. Union and Confederate troops skirmished briefly in 1863 near Blountsville, which was the county seat at the time. The seat moved to Oneonta in 1889.

The historical park is not only popular with history buffs; it is an educational resource, with many local schoolchildren visiting on field trips. One day last year, some 400 students visited on one day. “They worked us to death,” Alexander recalled.

She encourages anyone interested in Alabama and American history to come to the Blountsville park. There’s no admission charge, but a small donation to the historical society is appreciated to help keep things running and to further the society’s preservation mission. Among the organizations that have supported the historical society and park are the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Cawaco Resource, Conservation & Development Council and the Alabama Power Foundation.

For more information, visit http://www.blountsvillehistoricalsociety.com/. You can also find the society on Facebook.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

The process includes:

• Excavating and moving material farther from rivers and waterways and reducing the size of the closed pond sites by as much as half.
• Using advanced engineering to construct additional protections, such as redundant dike systems and other structures, for increased, robust flood protection.

At all of Alabama Power’s ash ponds, the closure process includes treating and removing all water and installing a specially engineered barrier to keep the dewatered material safely in place. Groundwater monitoring will continue at the closed ash pond sites for at least 30 years to ensure protection of water quality.

And there is far more taking place. The closure plan for each ash pond is site-specific, and includes additional, advanced technologies and safeguards that go above and beyond closing in place.

For example, at Plant Barry in Mobile County, the process includes:

• Excavating and moving material farther away from waterways, creating a buffer up to 750 yards from the Mobile River – a distance in some places longer than seven football fields. In all, over 7 million cubic yards of material, approximately 30% of the total, will be moved farther from the river.
• Reducing the size of the closed pond site by 267 acres, or approximately 45%.
• Constructing a redundant dike system and a subsurface retaining wall around the entire consolidated footprint to provide further groundwater protection. The retaining wall will tie into a natural, solid clay layer that extends up to 28 feet below the site, effectively sealing the material in place.
• Constructing an internal drainage system around the perimeter of the consolidated footprint to accelerate the removal of water.

At Plant Greene County, the company is:

• Excavating and moving material farther away from waterways, creating a buffer up to 400 yards from the river. The facility’s size will be reduced by approximately 268 acres, or more than half its original footprint.
• Applying advanced engineering technologies to construct a5-mile subsurface wall around the closed pond to provide additional structural integrity and water quality protection. The wall will extend 30 feet below ground around the entire closed facility and tie into a natural chalk layer, effectively sealing the material in place.

At Plant Gaston, in Shelby County:

• Material will be excavated and moved farther away from waterways, creating a buffer up to 330 yards from the river – a distance longer than three football fields.
• The facility’s size will be reduced by approximately 75 acres, or by more than a fourth.
• The company will apply advanced engineering technologies to construct a redundant dike system between the closed site and the river as part of the plant’s increased, robust-flood-protection system.
• The company will also install a specially engineered drainage and collection system for additional long-term protection.

At Plant Gorgas, in Walker County:

• Material will be excavated and moved farther away from waterways, creating a buffer in some areas nearly a half-mile wide.
• The consolidated, dewatered footprint will be reduced by approximately 130 acres or by nearly a third.
• Advanced engineering technologies will be used to construct a reinforced dike system between the closed site and the river as part of the plant’s increased, robust flood-protection measures.
• The company will install a specially engineered drainage and collection system for additional long-term protection.

And at Plant Miller, in Jefferson County:

• Material will be excavated and moved farther away from waterways, creating a buffer up to 450 yards from the river – a distance longer than four football fields.
• The facility’s size will be reduced by approximately 125 acresor by more than a third.
• Advanced engineering technologies will be used to construct a reinforced dike systemto provide additional structural integrity.
• The company will install a specially engineered drainage and collection system for additional long-term protection.

The advanced and enhanced closure process plus other measures are designed to correct, over time, any issues related to groundwater around the pond sites. If additional measures prove necessary, the company will take action to protect the community and the environment, in coordination with state regulators.

Alabama Power has already made significant strides toward safe and permanent closure of its ash ponds. Over the past three years, the company installed new water treatment systems and dry ash-handling systems at its fossil plants – a prerequisite for ending use of the ponds.

Last year, Alabama Power completed the permanent closure of the ash pond at Plant Gadsden.

This past April, the company stopped using ash ponds completely as part of its environmental controls.

The company is now moving ahead with dewatering the Greene County ash pond. Dewatering is expected to begin at the remaining ponds at plants Barry, Gorgas, Gaston and Miller later this year.

Also later this year, the company will hold public meetings in communities near the pond sites to share information about the specific closure plans. Dates for the public meetings have not been set.

To learn more about the company’s closure plans, visit www.alabamapower.com and search for “CCR compliance.”

(Courtesy Alabama NewsCenter)

E-scooters from companies such as Bird, Lime and Uber’s JUMP have wheeled into large cities across the country, from Los Angeles to Chicago. The state of New York is on the verge of legalizing e-scooters. They’ve invaded European cities, too, along with local competitors such as Sweden’s voi and Wind in Germany. U.S. scooter startups also are giving it a go, such as Verve in Philadelphia and Skip in Washington, D.C.

Last summer, Bird swooped in to Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Auburn and Homewood before having its two-wheelers rounded up by local authorities. But now, Alabama has given the green light to “micromobility device systems,” as the recently approved legislation calls them, to be used on Alabama roadways.

Greg Cochran, deputy director of the Alabama League of Municipalities, said he is aware of at least 10 cities in the state that are exploring the possibilities around e-scooters. Under the just-approved law, cities have the authority to regulate the devices.

He said the resurgence in downtowns and downtown living are driving interest in expanding ways people can conveniently travel shorter distances around Alabama’s urban centers.

In Birmingham, city boosters are bullish about the prospect.

David Fleming, with the nonprofit economic development group REV Birmingham, said e-scooters not only provide an attractive option for people to get around the city’s revitalizing urban core, they also can be a tool for helping recruit millennials and businesses while also supporting local tourism.

For the past four years, REV has operated the Zyp bikeshare system in downtown and in-town Birmingham neighborhoods. The most popular bikes in the Zyp system are electric-assisted. The Alabama Power Foundation is among the supporters of Zyp.

“Zyp has proved that Birmingham wants mobility options, and will use them,” Fleming said. He said the new legislation is generating renewed interest from several scooter companies that are eyeing the Birmingham market. Some of those companies also offer bike-sharing systems that potentially could replace Zyp over time.

“We’re excited that multiple operators of bikes, scooters and other modes of transportation now want to bring their vehicles to Birmingham and we’re helping to get them here,” Fleming said. “Bikes and other forms of personal transportation create vibrancy in business districts and support recruitment and retention of businesses and talent. That’s our mission, and we think this is the next step in Birmingham’s evolution.”

Fleming said REV is already working with the city and other potential partners on rules that would allow multiple private operators to coexist. Regulations could be in place in time for scooter and other alternate transportation companies to begin operating in Birmingham next year.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Customers who purchase RECs can match their electrical usage with renewable energy and claim ownership of a specific amount of renewable energy going to the Alabama Power grid. Customers can choose among three pre-built plans or create their own custom plan.

The three pre-built plans — named Leaf, Tree and Forest — match customers with different amounts and types of renewable energy. For example, customers who enroll in the Forest plan for $15 a month for a year get 12,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy generated from Alabama sources – an amount roughly equal to the energy used in a month by a typical Alabama home. Customers also can build a customized plan and purchase enough renewable energy to match their individual usage or more. The cost of the plan is in addition to a customer’s normal power bill.

Greener State is also available to commercial customers and small businesses.

Throughout Saturday morning’s farmer’s market, shoppers paused at the Greener State tent to learn more about the program and sign up for more information. They also learned about some of the renewable energy projects in the state.

In 2017 Alabama Power completed construction of two solar energy projects at Army bases in Alabama, at Fort Rucker and Anniston Army Depot. The energy and RECs from the project are being used to serve Greener State customers.

Also, in 2017, one of the largest solar facilities in the state began operating in LaFayette, in Chambers County, in partnership with Alabama Power. Called the AL Solar A project, most of the energy and RECs from that facility are going to serve Walmart within Alabama Power’s service territory. The remaining RECs are being sold to Greener State customers and other interested in supporting solar energy. The project was featured last year in Parade magazine online as part of its Earth Day edition.

Learn more about Greener State and options for Alabama Power customers to support renewables at www.greenerstate.com.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Multiple organizations, including Alabama Power, combine resources to support the Valley Creek cleanups. Among them are the Jefferson County Conservation District, Jefferson County Health Department, City of Bessemer, City of Birmingham Stormwater Management, Jefferson County Stormwater Management, and the nonprofit Freshwater Land Trust.

Renew Our Rivers cleanups are taking place throughout this spring, offering volunteers several opportunities to help clean Alabama lakes, rivers and creeks across the state. To learn more about Renew Our Rivers, which is celebrating its 20^th year, and to view the cleanup schedule, please visit www.alabamapower.com/renewourrivers.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

American Airlines Group (AAG) averages nearly 6,700 flights daily to 350 destinations in 50 countries, the airline reports on its corporate website.  It’s the world’s largest airline based on number of aircraft and passengers served, according to the online site Airport Technology. Nearly 200 million passengers traveled on American in 2017.

The Spotlight special section examines the state with a focus on economic development and innovation. It highlights business and education “Trailblazers,” the state’s research and educational institutions, and examines workforce development efforts. One article probes Alabama’s global impact, highlighting foreign investment in the state in industries such as automotive and aerospace. The state’s growing tech and startup sectors also are examined, with attention paid to companies such as Birmingham’s Shipt. A number of innovative projects underway across the state also get mentions, such as the design and management of NASA’s new Space Launch System at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, and the Smart Neighborhood project in Hoover, built in partnership with Alabama Power and other companies.

“At a time when there is so much positive momentum in Alabama, this special supplement offered a perfect opportunity to reach a large audience with stories of excellence from across the state,” said Steve Spencer, president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, which assisted with connections to business and industry across the state for the project. “Passengers on American Airlines’ flights in the month of December are going to be impressed, and probably a little surprised, to learn about the exciting developments in Alabama’s economy, as well as all that the state offers as a quality place to live, work and play.”

The state’s hot spots for visitors also are covered, with writeups about the state’s largest cities, its historic sites and natural wonders, and unique attractions, including the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and Gulf Coast beaches. Birmingham’s culinary scene also gets a nod, with an interview of famed chef Frank Stitt, whose Highlands Bar & Grill was named the nation’s most outstanding restaurant this year by the James Beard Foundation.

American Way readers offer an enticing demographic. More than 86 percent are college educated, and readers boast a median household income of $114,200, according to the magazine.

As for the cover of the special section, it features a lively graphic blending sites from across Alabama, from the state Capitol, to Huntsville’s U.S. Space and Rocket Center, to Mobile’s downtown skyline, to Birmingham’s iconic statue of Vulcan.

The final article, titled “Looking Ahead,” provides a positive glimpse of Alabama’s potential tomorrows, with predictions for expanded tourism, business expansion and research breakthroughs.

State Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield offers a glowing vision for the state’s future to close out the glossy special section: “We want Alabama to be seen as a place where there are no obstacles blocking the path to success and a state where the odds aren’t stacked against dreamers.”

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Teams at Alabama Power’s Plant Farley nuclear plant near Dothan also are also prepared for the storm. Southern Nuclear operates Plant Farley on behalf of Alabama Power.

Tuesday afternoon, federal reconnaissance aircraft found Michael’s maximum winds have increased to Category 2 intensity near 100 mph. The infrared satellite appearance shows intense thunderstorm activity beginning to completely encircle a more-defined hurricane center, indicating an intensifying storm.

Hurricane Michael is about 380 miles south of Panama City, Florida, and about 405 miles south to south-southeast of Pensacola Bay, moving north-northwest at 12 mph. The latest reported pressures by aircraft have been 968-972 millibars.

Forecasters said there is no change to the track or intensity of Michael, with landfall anticipated in the Florida Panhandle around Wednesday afternoon. The only remaining question is how strong the hurricane may be at landfall. Michael is expected to become a strong Category 2 or a Category 3 storm prior to landfall. Estimates put the damage at up to $10 billion from this storm.

On Monday, Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency in anticipation of widespread power outages, wind damage and debris produced by high winds and heavy rain associated with Michael. Flash flooding and tornadoes are possible as parts of the state are under tropical storm watches or warnings.

“On the state level we are prepared, now is the time for residents in south Alabama to review your emergency preparedness plans and also get prepared,” Ivey said. “Most importantly, heed all warnings and instructions from local authorities.”

Houston and Geneva counties are under a hurricane warning. Coffee, Dale and Henry counties are under a hurricane watch. Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw, Pike, Barbour and Covington counties are under a tropical storm warning. Bullock, and Russell counties are under a flash flood watch. Localized flooding may prompt a few evacuations as flood waters may have the possibility to enter a few structures in vulnerable spots. Rainfall totals of 3-6 inches are possible across the flash flood watch area.

By declaring a statewide emergency, Ivey activated the Alabama Emergency Operations Plan, directing state agencies to exercise their statutory authority to assist communities and entities affected by the storm. The Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) is authorized to make assessments of damages following the storm.

“Hurricane Michael is forecast to become a major hurricane and it will produce widespread power outages and debris that will challenge our response and recovery in the southern and Wiregrass counties,” said AEMA Director Brian Hastings. “Alabamians should always be prepared, but everyone needs to make final preparations now to be ready for Hurricane Michael.”

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency began operating at a Level 2 activation this morning.

The Ozark Civic Center at 302 East College St. opened up as a Red Cross shelter this afternoon for those displaced by Hurricane Michael.

Those needing a place to shelter livestock can do so at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery, the Alabama A&M Agribition Center in Huntsville and the Randolph County Equine and Ag Center in Wedowee.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the price gouging laws are in effect to discourage those from trying to illegally profit from the bad weather.

“Alabamians should be cautious of those who would seek to prey upon them through crimes such as price gouging and home repair fraud,” Marshall said.

Although what constitutes an unconscionable price is not specifically set forth in state law, a price that is 25 percent or more above the average price charged in the same area within the past 30 days – unless the increase can be attributed to a reasonable cost – is a prima facie case of unconscionable pricing. Marshall said. The penalty is a fine of up to $1,000 per violation, and those determined to have willfully and continuously violated this law may be prohibited from doing business in Alabama.

Consumers and officials can report concerns of alleged fraud or illegal price gouging to the Attorney General’s Consumer Interest Division by calling toll-free 1-800-392-5658 or visiting the Attorney General’s website to file a complaint.

School closings are being compiled at the Alabama State Department of Education.

Safety is a priority at Alabama Power and should be for people in the path of Michael. Here is some safety information for hurricanes and severe storms:

Preparing for a hurricane:

–Learn your community hurricane evacuation routes, in case an evacuation is necessary.
–Determine where your family will meet.
–Make sure you have a way to contact your family.
–Keep cellphones and electronic devices charged.
–Stay informed with a battery-operated weather radio.
–Stock an emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, first-aid supplies, cash and copies of your critical information.
–Keep a three-day supply of water – a gallon per person per day – and three days’ supply of nonperishable food on hand.
–Trim shrubs and trees close to your home to minimalize damage to your home.
–Turn down the thermostat in your home. It can help keep your home cool for up to 48 hours when power is interrupted.
–Bring in outdoor items, such as furniture, decorations, garbage cans, etc.

During a hurricane:

–Seek shelter in a sturdy building, away from windows and doors.
–Monitor your weather radio for updates and reports.

After a hurricane:

–Stay off flooded roads.
–Stay away from downed lines and keep pets away.
–If you are an Alabama Power customer and experience an outage or see or a downed line, report the outage at www.alabamapower.com or call Alabama Power’s automated reporting system at 1-800-888-APCO (2726).
–Turn off appliances to avoid any potential safety hazards when power is restored.
–Stay clear of damaged and fallen trees where a downed line may be hidden.
–Stay away from areas where repair crews are working.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Forecasters say southwest Alabama, including the metro Mobile area, will be affected by high winds and heavy rainfall, with the possibility of flash flooding. Downtown Mobile also faces potential flooding.

Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency at 7 a.m. Tuesday for Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe and Washington counties.

“All coastal Alabama residents need to prepare now ahead of tonight’s potential landfall near Alabama,” Ivey said. “I have directed essential state agencies to be on the ready should they be needed over the next couple of days.”

Localized flooding is possible across the southern portion of the state. Dangerous wind gusts of up to 45 mph will be an issue as the storm makes landfall. Tornadoes also are possible.

Based on current forecasts, the Mobile area will see the greatest impact from this storm in Alabama before it moves north and west on its forecasted track through Mississippi, Louisiana and toward Arkansas. Heavy rain and gusting winds could cause trees to fall.

As always, safety is a top priority for all Alabama Power. Individuals, families and businesses in the projected path of the storm should take precautionary measures and make sure they have a hurricane plan, including a fully stocked emergency supply kit. Click here for specific tips related to hurricane preparedness.

Alabama Power customers who experience storm-related outages can report them online via mobile devices at www.alabamapower.com. Customers also can call the company’s automated outage reporting line at 1-800-888-APCO (2726).

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

“… Kasey – it was his idea originally,” said Drew Honeycutt, Planet Fundraiser co-founder and chief operating officer. “He was asked to go raise money for his daughter’s T-ball team … and like any idea, you got to do something with it.”

Birdsong was frustrated by the challenges of effectively raising money for the team – how to reach out and to whom, how to persuade people to give, and how to make it easy for them to donate. There must be a better and simpler way, he thought.

From there (add the hard work part) sprang the Planet Fundraiser app.

“Right now, we are working on scaling the business,” Honeycutt said. But the mission hasn’t changed since it all began: “to be the smartest fundraising app on the planet.”

Here’s how Planet Fundraiser works: After you download the app, you can select good causes you’d like to support. The app tells you which area merchants will donate a percentage of their sales to the cause. Then, it’s a simple matter of shopping at those merchants, snapping a photo of the receipt, and sending it to Planet Fundraiser. Then, every month, that nonprofit, or school team, or good cause, gets a check with their share of the sales.

“We’re a three-sided marketplace,” Honeycutt said, “connecting local businesses to local organizations, and then the local organizations get their supporters – the people that care about the organization – to download our app, go shop at the local businesses … and they earn back for causes they care about.”

In the two years since it launched in June 2016, thousands of schools and nonprofits across the Southeast have raised money using Planet Fundraiser. Now, with the recent addition of online merchants, Planet Fundraiser is expanding nationwide, with school organizations from Michigan to Texas using Planet Fundraiser technology.

An ever-expanding list of merchants includes a variety of businesses such as Piggly Wiggly, Mountain High Outfitters, Trim Tab Brewing Company, Gus Mayer, Alabama Power Appliance Center, Target and Shipt.

For merchants, it’s an easy way to handle requests for donations while showing they care about community causes. For app users, it’s an easy way to help support the causes of their choice while they shop. And for the nonprofit, school or good cause, they get the donations without complicated or costly campaigns.

But the app provides additional benefits, making it more than the sum of its parts.

In addition to making it easier for businesses “not to say no” to a charitable request, Honeycutt said data they’ve gathered shows the app can help merchants increase sales, as word spreads about their support for community causes. “We’re seeing people spending more at these businesses, so it’s a marketing tool for them.”

On the flip side, the app “makes it easier for more people to give back,” Honeycutt said. Indeed, some individuals and nonprofit organizations use the app to challenge each other in friendly fundraising competitions.

Honeycutt said it was a surprise to the Planet Fundraiser team how the app can affect the shopping patterns of some users, prompting them to visit more often stores that support their causes – and spend more when they get there.

“We didn’t fully anticipate the way that it would change consumers’ purchasing behaviors. People, when they have a care that’s close to their heart, they will go and patronize businesses and spend more money at these businesses to earn back for things they care about,” Honeycutt said.

Data gathered by the app is another benefit available to those engaged in the transactions. Merchants can retrieve aggregate information (no names) about sales generated from app users, and where those app users are located; nonprofits and other causes can see who supports their good works and how often; and individual users can view their own shopping habits and track the causes they support through the app.

“The idea was to create a way that businesses and the local organizations in the community can better work together using technology,” Honeycutt said.

It’s an idea, born in Birmingham, that is now taking off.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

“We want your input. We value your ideas,” said DeJarvis Leonard, ALDOT region engineer.

Dubbed CityWalk BHAM, the public space, running from 15th Street to 25th Street North, near the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, is scheduled to be completed in time for The World Games coming to Birmingham in summer 2021.

“The World Games is a magnificent opportunity for the city, and we think this project can be a welcomed attraction for visitors and natives of Birmingham alike, come 2021,” Leonard said.

Ben Donsky, vice president of  Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, told the audience at the start of the first public session that the project is an opportunity to create a unique public space that offers an enormous variety of activities and programming, serving different audiences at different times of the day. One of the project consultants, Biederman has helped design or redevelop numerous public spaces around the country, including Bryant Park in New York City, Salesforce Park in San Francisco and Canalside in Buffalo, New York.

“We want to build something that is sustainable, that will be treasured for generations,” Donsky said.

Participants in the first session moved among six viewing stations, where they could examine conceptual images of different activities and elements that could be incorporated into CityWalk. They ranged from skateboarding to walking paths and playgrounds, a dog park, a farmers’ market, cafés and music stages.

Donsky said programming at CityWalk also could range broadly, from exercise classes for seniors, to art and music events for adults and children, to food stalls for downtown workers on their lunch hour. “We want to have lots of variety,” he said.

“We think this could be an economic generator for the city and a regional attraction … from every demographic and every age level,” Donsky added.

Participants could mark their preferences among the many images spread on the tables – or suggest their own ideas.

Donsky said few cities have created public spaces of this proposed magnitude underneath a rebuilt highway. “It’s really groundbreaking.”

A comprehensive price tag for the project hasn’t been finalized, but an estimated $15 million to $20 million is expected to be available from state and federal transportation coffers for construction. Officials hope to add to that amount with local support, along with corporate and philanthropic dollars that could help to provide resources for ongoing events and programming.

In addition to the three public sessions held Tuesday at Boutwell, a second round is set for July 24 at the Birmingham Crossplex. Additional public meetings also could be scheduled. More information is available at a new website, http://citywalkbham.com/, and a new Facebook page, where additional details are expected to be shared from the public sessions.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

“We want to incentivize our customers,” Miguel Southwell, interim president and CEO of the airport authority, said during a brief media event to show off the chargers.

“Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport has been a leader in sustainability,” said Michael H. Bell, airport authority board chairman, noting that the airport has received a LEED gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

The electric-vehicle chargers for airport visitors are the latest environmentally friendly feature at the airport, which already boasts an all-electric, high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, sophisticated building automation systems, energy-efficient lighting, solar water heating and a rainwater harvesting system. The airport also has charging stations for electric-powered ground-service equipment.

Electric vehicles produce no emissions, versus gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles.

Alabama Power worked with the airport to install the electric-vehicle chargers for airport customers, as well as those used to support ground-service vehicles.

“We are privileged to partner with Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport and the Birmingham Airport Authority on this project,” said Cedric Daniels, Alabama Power’s Electric Transportation manager. Daniels said that in addition to the environmental benefits, electric vehicles are cheaper to fuel than traditional combustion-engine vehicles and require less maintenance.

He said the installation at the airport “shows the world that we are ready” for the continued growth of electric transportation.

So agreed Mark Bentley, executive director of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, who attended the airport event. He noted that all major carmakers are producing all-electric or gas-electric hybrid vehicles, with electric vehicles expected to take an increasing share of the global market in coming years.

At the event, local plug-in electric vehicle owners brought several models to plug in at the airport for the first time, including cars and SUVs from Chevrolet, Honda, Cadillac and Tesla, as well as an Alabama-produced Mercedes-Benz.

Auto manufacturers “have decided that electric vehicles are the future,” Bentley said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Check out a video of the electric charger unveiling on the airport’s Facebook page.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

State transportation officials and others participating in the process say the new public space is possible because of the way the elevated highway will be rebuilt. For example, the rebuilt interstate will have no vehicle exit or entrance ramps along the 10-block stretch, making the space below the highway more inviting for pedestrians and public activities. Enhanced lighting that can change color, similar to the 14^th and 18^th Street tunnels near Railroad Park, also promises to make the proposed linear park more pleasant.

The new highway design removes hundreds of support columns that disrupt the space beneath the existing elevated highway. Instead of the existing spans that have columns every 65 feet, the new design will have columns 165 feet apart. The seamless design of the new highway is expected to eliminate much of the highway noise, including the “thump-thump” heard now as trucks rumble over seams between spans.

Officials said no plans are locked down for what could occupy the linear spaces underneath the new highway. Among ideas being floated are everything from a carousel, to athletic fields, to fountains and performance and event spaces. Art installations could be part of the mix.

Birmingham-based Barge Design Solutions is working on the concepts. Barge has been involved in park, greenway and large landscape-design projects, including a 3-mile extension of the Tennessee Riverpark in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the renovation of Rhodes Jordan Park in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Consulting with Barge is New York-based Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, which was part of the team responsible for important public projects around the country, including renovated Bryant Park in New York City and Klyde Warren Park in Dallas.

One element already exciting to local officials and community leaders is how a linear park could provide pedestrian connections downtown – potentially linking attractions and institutions, including the BJCC, Uptown and the Sheraton and Westin hotels; the Birmingham Museum of Art, Boutwell Auditorium and Linn Park; the Alabama School of Fine Arts and its theater; and the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and its multiple historic sites. A linear park has the potential to be an attraction itself, providing a walkable connector between downtown and the institutions and neighborhoods just north of Interstate 59/20, which has been a physical barrier for decades.

Also being discussed are potential names for the linear park. Working with Barge on branding concepts is Birmingham-based public relations firm O2 Ideas. The firm is expected to unveil a potential name for the park before the public involvement meetings, scheduled for July 17 at Boutwell Municipal Auditorium and July 24 at the Birmingham CrossPlex. There will be three sessions on both days, from 10 a.m. to noon, noon until 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  A website is being developed where details will be provided.

More information is expected to be posted soon at www.dot.state.al.us. Click on “I-59 Public Space.”

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Robb hired the then-inexperienced but enthusiastic Huckaby when Robb was managing partner at Bottega. Huckaby then moved down the street to Stitt’s flagship Highlands Bar & Grill, and then helped Stitt open Chez Fonfon before leaving for other opportunities.

Robb went on to open restaurants in Nashville and later helped create the now-closed Dodiyo’s Restaurant in Homewood with George Sarris of the iconic Fish Market Restaurant on the city’s Southside before taking an executive post with the Taziki’s Mediterranean Café organization. The job with Taziki’s had Robb constantly on the road, across the South and beyond.

Now the two can’t hide their excitement about “Blueprint” – which is slated to open June 19 in the old Birmingham Blue Print Co. building on Third Avenue South, next to Hop City Craft Beer & Wine. Huckaby will serve as executive chef.

“It was Dean’s idea,” Huckaby said of Blueprint, but the menu is a Robb-Huckaby close collaboration.

“I’m excited about everything on the menu,” which ranges from a BLT tortellini with oven roasted tomatoes, bacon, wild watercress and garlic; to duck and dumplings with locally grown mushrooms, spring Vidalia petals and charred carrots. “We’re taking a lot of known foods and putting our twist on it,” Huckaby said.

“We’ve got the plenty of the world in the Southeast,” Robb explained, and the menu is built around the region’s natural bounty.

“It’s true American food, with a little bit of New Orleans,” Robb added, with dishes like fried whole Mississippi catfish with low country hushpuppy salad and crawfish aioli, or steamed mussels with local beer and crawfish sausage.

Robb and Huckaby recently took a break from building and outfitting Blueprint to appear at the market at Pepper Place, where Huckaby prepared one of the soon-to-open restaurant’s signature salads.

Huck’s Roasted Beet Salad combines local roasted beets, tiny French pickles called cornichons, walnuts, apples, shallots, arugula and goat cheese. On a steamy Saturday morning, samples of the tangy, cool and yet creamy salad hit the spot among market visitors, who lined up for a taste.

Huck’s Roasted Beet Salad
1 cup roasted local beets, cut in wedges
1 ounce cornichons, cut in half
1 ounce roasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 ounce honey crisp apple, cut in wedges
1 ounce sliced shallots
½ ounce arugula, leave leaves whole
1 ounce sherry vinegar
1 ounce extra virgin olive oil
1 ounce goat cheese

Mix cornichons, walnuts, apple, shallots and arugula in a large mixing bowl. Add beets and oil and vinegar to taste and toss again. Garnish with goat cheese.
Serves two.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Highlands was a finalist for 10 years running, which Zimmern said is far more significant than the restaurant ultimately taking home the top prize.

“I think to be nominated is its own reward. Because when you’re nominated for restaurant of the year, in America, and there’s four or five other nominees, that’s amazing,” Zimmern said.

“The way I look at it is the inverse: Frank and Pardis were nominated umpteen times for that award,” he said, recognizing the team of Stitt and his wife, Pardis, who manages the operation. “That says more than the people who were nominated once or twice. To be that relevant for so many years, everyone knew – at least I knew – that eventually they were going to win that thing.”

Zimmern admitted he’s become “kinda addicted” to Birmingham. It was his third trip to the city to tape episodes for his TV empire. But this time he made the most of it, taping for two separate shows – The Zimmern List, broadcast on the Travel Channel, and a yet-to-be-named show coming this fall to the Food Network. It will focus on food entrepreneurs aspiring for culinary greatness. Three Alabama enterprises were interviewed in Birmingham for the new show: Chubbfathers, which has a food truck as well as a bricks-and-mortar place in Alabaster; Granny’s Fish ‘N Grits, a food truck usually found near Birmingham Daiquiris on Ninth Street North at Third Avenue North, and Highway Kabobery, a Huntsville-based food truck. It’s the first time Zimmern has filmed two shows for two separate networks at the same time in one city.

Zimmern was downright gushy about Birmingham and the hospitality it shows every time he’s in town. He went so far as to proclaim that the people of Birmingham are on par – possibly even nicer – than folks in his hometown of Minneapolis, who are known for their welcoming ways.

He tweeted his affection for the Magic City: “I’m on the road, 230 days a year at minimum, 40/50 cities in USA. I never get as nice a welcome as I do in Birmingham. People stop their cars, pause on the street or use social and actually say ‘nice to have you back.’ It’s amazing. Love the B’ham people! Thank you for the love.”

Nor did Zimmern temper his deep affection for the Stitts, longtime friends whose restaurants have spawned numerous chefs who have launched their own restaurants in Birmingham, and beyond.

“Birmingham is extremely blessed to have someone who is as talented as Frank. But more importantly, who is as inclusive, gracious and as civic-minded as Frank is.

“Frank is a great chef. Pardis is an incredible businesswoman and hostess. But they’re better people,’’ Zimmern said.

“I think when you look at the history of restaurants in America, 50 years from now, Highlands is going to be written about. It’s 35 years old, and it’s better now than it’s ever been. I mean, how many restaurants can say that?”

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Monday, May 21, is the final day to register for the June 5 primary, when the state Democratic and Republican parties will select their nominees for a host of offices, from Congress to governor, to legislative seats, to county offices and local judgeships.

To register, Alabamians can submit a registration form online via the Alabama secretary of state’s website. Or they can mail a completed registration form, also available on the secretary of state’s website, to their respective county board of registrars. Folks can also walk in to their county’s board of registrars to register. If you mail in the registration, the form must be postmarked by May 21.

For voters who will be out of town on June 5 or who are physically unable to make it to the polls, the last day to request an absentee ballot is May 31. Absentee ballots must be mailed or hand-delivered to your respective county’s absentee ballot manager. If you are mailing in an absentee ballot, it must be postmarked by June 4. Learn more about absentee voting in Alabama here.

Polls open on June 5 at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. To cast a ballot in Alabama, you must have a valid form of photo identification. These include a valid driver’s license or non-driver ID, a current U.S. passport, a military ID, state or federal government, among others. Learn more here. You can confirm your polling location on the Alabama secretary of state’s website or by contacting your county board of registrars office.

Depending on the outcome June 5, some candidates could be forced into a primary runoff, scheduled for July 17, to determine the party nominee. The general election, in which party nominees and independent or third-party candidates face each other for the final decision by voters, is set for Tuesday, Nov. 6.

(Courtesy Alabama News Center)

Alabamians are encouraged to register here, where they can log their miles and earn “electronic badges” for milestones reached and places they’ve visited. The site also offers information about trail locations and recreational events around the state. Participants can also share their experiences using the #100ALMiles hashtag.

The 100 Alabama Miles Challenge is being spearheaded by the University of Alabama Center for Economic Development (UACED) with support from numerous organizations, including the Alabama Trails Commission, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama, Lakeshore Foundation, the Alabama Beverage Association, AARP, Jefferson County Department of Health, Alabama Department of Public Health, the Governor’s Commission on Physical Fitness and Sports, and the Alabama Obesity Task Force.

“Alabamians have high rates of inactivity and obesity and other associated health conditions, including hypertension and diabetes,” said Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama’s state health officer.

“Physical activity plays a major role in preventing obesity and chronic disease, and it is a blessing that Alabama has so many great places to get out and be active. The 100 Alabama Miles Challenge will be an outstanding program to help encourage that activity,” Harris said.

Brian Rushing, director of Economic Development at UACED and coordinator for the challenge, said the program also provides an opportunity to promote the state’s parks and other natural wonders and expand recreational tourism.

“We hope this program inspires people to seek out a previously unvisited trail or park to get outside and get to their 100 miles goal,” Rushing said.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)