Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: What’s really at stake in the lawsuits over Birmingham’s new data center?

Coming up on the Birmingham Patch calendar: Brave Hearts Strong Arms Book Signing

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Saturday September 19th Patch AM
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Hi Birmingham! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • What's really at stake in the lawsuits over Birmingham's new data center?
  • Birmingham's homicide clearance is soaring, but what about the cold cases?
  • Family of slain Birmingham teen pleads for new tips and closure

Also on today's calendar: Brave Hearts Strong Arms Book Signing and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What do you call cows dancing in the dark 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Saturday: Sweltering heat, with a high of 98 and low of 72 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Sunday: A t-storm around in the p.m., temps: high: 96, low: 73.
  • Monday: An afternoon thunderstorm, with a high of 94 and low of 72 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Action picks up in lawsuits targeting Birmingham data center (wbhm.org) — A massive data center rising in Birmingham's Oxmoor Valley faces three consolidated lawsuits claiming the city improperly issued permits and granted a huge tax break near homes and a school. Residents, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, a Regions shareholder, and activist Terri Michal are challenging the project's approvals and a 30-year, $3.2 billion incentive as construction continues toward a 2028 completion.
   

2. As Birmingham homicide clearance rate hits 90%, grieving mother asks: 'What about the cold cases?' (wbrc.com) — Birmingham's homicide detectives have cleared about 90% of cases this year, and violent crime is down nearly 50%, giving police more time to revisit unsolved killings. One mother whose son and nephew were killed in Inglenook is pleading for renewed attention to cold cases. Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama is urging past anonymous tipsters to log back in and share any additional details.
   

3. 'Do it for Lexie': Woman asks for public's help solving teen sister's murder (wbrc.com) — A Birmingham family is renewing calls for answers nearly two years after 16-year-old Alexis Wise and Joshua Parsons were shot to death in a car on Princeton Avenue Southwest. Despite six anonymous tips, detectives still lack enough information to make an arrest, leaving loved ones grieving without closure. Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 and urging anyone with knowledge to come forward or update prior tips.
   

4. PREP FOOTBALL: Bearcats come up short at Huffman, 28-14 (cullmantribune.com) — A Cullman High road trip to the Birmingham area ended in a 28-14 loss to Huffman, despite a late Bearcats rally. The detailed play-by-play shows how early turnovers and penalties in Birmingham put Cullman in a deep hole they couldn't escape before the clock ran out.
   

5. Ladle Cars at Sloss Furnaces: Revolutionizing Iron Production (birminghamal.gov) — Ladle cars once crisscrossed Birmingham's Sloss Furnaces, safely hauling molten iron and helping turn the site into a powerhouse of the city's industrial economy. This history-focused piece explains how the technology boosted productivity and worker safety, and encourages residents to explore the preserved furnaces museum to better understand Birmingham's manufacturing roots.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I found this dog and nobody has claimed him.
    Hes sweet but i cant keep him. I dont wanna take him to a shelter but i already have two dogs and one is pregnant. I'm out of options. If your… (Nextdoor Coalburg Rd)
  • Free kittens.
    Dewormed and first vac shot.(first shot picture not included) 8 weeks old. (Nextdoor Grayson Valley Highland)
  • American Cancer Society posted a job opening for Concierge - Driver, Hope Lodge in Birmingham. Apply here.
  • O'Neal Steel posted a job opening for Machine Operator Thermal (3rd shift) - Birmingham, AL in Birmingham. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Birmingham here.

Ok Birmingham! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Night Moo-s (Thank you John S. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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