I had an interesting conversation with a life-long friend.
I was fretting about Birmingham’s inability to keep pace with other regions.
He said I was totally missing what is about to happen. Continue reading Now is Birmingham’s time
I actually wrote this column last year, but decided not to publish it.
It just seemed too farfetched.
But now that the Senate has passed a trillion dollar infrastructure bill, this could be Birmingham’s and Alabama’s big opportunity. Continue reading Birmingham bullet train to Atlanta
A graph of Jefferson County’s population over the past 50 years looks eerily like the EKG of a dead man.
It’s a straight line that goes neither up nor down. It lays dormant like a dead body.
Unfortunately that flat line now appears to represent the good ‘ole’ days. Continue reading How to turn around a shrinking Jefferson County
It’s very difficult to publish a piece these days and not appear to be political.
And this piece is not meant to be political—but it is concerning.
It is true of both Alabama Democrats and Alabama Republicans. Continue reading This is not acceptable, Alabama
When I was Board Chair of Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (now BBA), in 2005, we hired an economic development consultant.
He flew to town the night before our first meeting and stayed at the Tutwiler Hotel. While sitting at the bar that evening he engaged in conversation with one of our locals. Continue reading The Birmingham story we never expected to tell
A friend from Mountain Brook recently sent me an article about Southlake, Texas that turned my stomach.
Southlake is a city that appears to have a lot in common with Mountain Brook. Continue reading Fingers crossed for Mountain Brook
The What’s happening in Mountain Brook Facebook page is a powerhouse.
More than 23,000 members—when there are only about 20,000 men, women, and children who live in all of Mountain Brook. Continue reading Banned from Mountain Brook Facebook group
The pandemic hit and unexpectedly a few of my friends’ children moved back home to Birmingham—some temporarily and some permanently.
Cities like New York were in lockdown leaving many unfortunate souls imprisoned in their apartments or condominiums. Continue reading Did it take a pandemic to ignite Birmingham’s economy?
These are trying times.
A stubborn pandemic and social unrest.
Words matter, but action is required.
The Mountain Brook Board of Education has an opportunity to take an action that could ultimately begin to change the dynamics of our region. Continue reading Mountain Brook could quell critics–benefit its children, parents, and community
Chattanooga saw the future and acted.
Now it’s Birmingham’s turn.
While we’re in the midst of a pandemic, it’s time for Birmingham to stop, take a breath, and develop a bold vision. Continue reading What Birmingham can learn from a once dirty smoggy neighbor