🌱 Water Drive For Jackson + Citywide Book Club

Good morning, Birmingham! Like many of you, the Patch staff is taking some time off for the holiday, so there will not be a newsletter in your inbox on Monday morning. We'll catch up with you bright and early on Tuesday, but in the meantime, have a great Labor Day weekend!

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📣 Our readers love to celebrate good news! You can now shout out your big announcement at the top of the Birmingham Daily newsletter. Whether it's a grand opening, new product for sale, birthday, anniversary, engagement, wedding or new baby, let everyone celebrate alongside you! Submit your announcement here.

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First, today's weather:

Showers and a heavier t-storm. High: 83 Low: 72.

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Here are the top three stories today in Birmingham:

1. Birmingham is hosting a drive to help those in Mississippi with no drinkable water. The drive will be held from Sep. 6 through Sep. 8 at Boutwell Auditorium. People can donate bottled water, cleaning supplies, and paper products, such as paper towels and toilet paper, to the drive. Jackson's water treatment plant experienced storm damage and flooding, causing its pumps to stall and making the city's water unsafe for drinking. (WIAT - CBS42.com)
2. Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond and the U.S. Attorney's office are working together for stronger charges and faster convictions. Murder rates are up nearly 29 percent across the city of Birmingham. City data shows that the violent crime total is down 21 percent right now, including aggravated assaults and robberies. (WBRC)
3. A Birmingham literary program will host citywide discussions of Imani Perry's book 'South to America.' Birmingham Reads, a book club discussion program sponsored by PEN America, will engage participants through one book connected to the city and its history. The program aims to "build community, boost literacy and civic engagement, and promote greater understanding of underrepresented perspectives." (AL.com)

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Today in and around Birmingham:

• Chess Club At Jane Culbreth Public Library (10:00 AM)
• Big And Little Chef: Breakfast For Dinner At Publix Aprons Cooking School (10:00 AM)
• Uno, Dos, Tres: Speak! At Homewood Public Library (10:30 AM)

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From my notebook:

• Looking for holiday weekend plans? Consider heading to Cahaba Night Bazaar on Saturday for live music and food trucks or check out Avondale Brewing on Sunday to enjoy a Grateful Dead cover band. (Bham Now)
• The fall issue of The Garden Dirt highlights the joyful next chapter in the story of the Kaul Wildflower Garden. The four-acre garden was created at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in the mid-1960s by a passionate group of women. (Birmingham Botanical Gardens via Facebook)
• Birmingham Children's Theatre's first public show of the season, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," was a huge success. It is showing again this weekend at Pay What You Wish rates. (Birmingham Children's Theatre via Facebook)

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More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (September 9)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Saturday! See you all soon for your next update.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander, now living in New York. She works as a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and is a graduate of The University of Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.