Category Archives: Guest blogger

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

The event that will change Birmingham forever

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Darin White

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Darin W. White, Ph.D .  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Earlier this year it was announced that Birmingham, AL won the bid to host the 2021 World Games. Winning the bid to host the World Games is a tremendous opportunity for our city in so many different ways.

I told AL.com back in January that “It gives us the opportunity to create a positive and lasting legacy for our great city. It will spark dialogue and cooperation among the dozens of communities that make up Birmingham and allow us to build bridges that cut across racial and socioeconomic lines.” Continue reading The event that will change Birmingham forever →

Guest blogger

Birmingham renaissance: Not so fast!

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Maury Shevin
Maury Shevin

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Maury Shevin.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

ComebackTown has been an excellent forum to discuss issues surrounding “regional cooperation.”

I’ve published my joyous thoughts about Birmingham’s successes of recent years and our potential for even more with regional cooperation.  The Birmingham naysayers have been awfully quiet during this period.  And, I don’t want to stir them up, but… Continue reading Birmingham renaissance: Not so fast! →

Government structure, Guest blogger

Political process in Birmingham actually working

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Tripp Watson
Tripp Watson; Photograph by Bob Farley

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Tripp Watson.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

I have an ominous suggestion for you: The political process in Birmingham might actually be working.

What if our elected officials are doing exactly what they’re supposed to be doing?  What if they are looking out for the people that they represent and passing laws that best embody those interests? Continue reading Political process in Birmingham actually working →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

New energetic Birmingham: Not just for young folks

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Janice James Eubank
Janice James Eubank

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Janice James Eubank.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

We recently had family visiting in town. Although they are native ‘Hamians’….they most recently lived out of the country but wanted to see the “old town,” with an emphasis on seeing loft locations in Birmingham. We only had an afternoon with them, so we packed in a loaded agenda ending the night at Highland’s Bar and Grill with Goren Avery, “Gastro Concierge Extraordinaire”. Continue reading New energetic Birmingham: Not just for young folks →

Guest blogger

Other cities have horrible flags – what about Birmingham?

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Matthew Hamilton
Matthew Hamilton

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Matthew Hamilton.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

The American flag has been a symbol of our nation’s identity, strength, and unity for more than 200 years.

Our flag often elicits some of our deepest emotions—making us feel passion and pride.

Did you know that most major cities – including Birmingham – also have their own flag?  But have you ever felt pride for our city because of our flag?  Continue reading Other cities have horrible flags – what about Birmingham? →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Don Logan: Folks called us nuts!

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Don Logan, retired Chairman Time Warner. Owner--Birmingham Barons, Seek Publications, B.A.S.S
Don Logan, retired Chairman Time Warner. Owner–Birmingham Barons, Seek Publications, B.A.S.S

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Don Logan.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Folks said we were nuts when we moved the Barons downtown.

“Downtown isn’t safe.”

“I’d never come downtown with my children.”

“The City of Birmingham will never get its act together.”

“You guys must be crazy.”

It was difficult to listen to the negative talk—but we knew the move to Birmingham was the right thing to do.  Stadiums were moving into urban areas and were being successful.

And the City of Birmingham did it right. Continue reading Don Logan: Folks called us nuts! →

Guest blogger, UAB

A silver lining: a good thing emerges from the UAB football controversy

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Tom Cosby
Tom Cosby

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Tom Cosby.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

The late, great Fred Sington (himself a University of Alabama football All American) used to proudly say “I’m a Birmingham man. If its good for Birmingham, I’m for it.” Count me in, all in, on Mr. Sington’s team. And since I believe the killing of UAB football is not good for Birmingham, I’m not for it.

Continue reading A silver lining: a good thing emerges from the UAB football controversy →

Alabama Constitution, Corporate community, Government structure, Guest blogger, UAB, What's great about Birmingham

There’s no stopping Birmingham

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Maury Shevin
Maury Shevin

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Maury Shevin.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

I recently attended a meeting of real estate professionals from the Birmingham area.

Dick Schmalz, President RGS Properties, spoke about his 20 Midtown development.  20 Midtown is the new Publix, Starbucks, retail and apartment buildings that are being developed between 3rd and 4th Avenues South on both sides of 20th Street.  These are not pie-in-the-sky projects.  They are real with building permits and bank financing. Dick said these three projects will cost more than $100 million.

Continue reading There’s no stopping Birmingham →

Guest blogger, Race relations

Birmingham of my youth–from a black perspective

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3rd Avenue North facing East with Alabama & Lyric Theatres
Third Avenue North facing east from 18th Street with Lyric & Alabama Theatres–remembered differently by black & white

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is RavenBarnes. As far as I know, I don’t know Mr./Ms. Barnes since his/her comments below were published in his/her user name on al.com. This is his/her response to a guest blog recently written by a white male–Jerry Carter– Birmingham:  The city of my youth makes a comeback. 

 If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

It seems that we spent our childhoods in Birmingham around the same time period, but although I remember a few things differently than Mr. Carter, I also remember being able to laugh and enjoy the Birmingham that I was given. Continue reading Birmingham of my youth–from a black perspective →

Guest blogger

Our region’s future and the conversations we do not have

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Charles Ball, Executive Director Regional Planning Commission
Charles Ball, Executive Director Regional Planning Commission

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Charles Ball.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Recent news that Mercedes may be moving its U.S. headquarters to Atlanta or North Carolina should unnerve us.  Why- Because it is just the most recent reminder of conversations we are not having, and opportunities we continue to miss.

Foreign Auto HQs.  In 2006, Nashville lured Nissan’s U.S. headquarters from California.  And they accomplished this without an international airport or even one daily flight to Japan.  What they did have was a business community with an audacious, “can do” spirit and a Nissan plant down the road.  Japanese-owned Bridgestone Tire moved there in 1991.  So, why aren’t we talking about courting the headquarters of Mercedes, or Honda or Hyundai?  Georgia may be willing to offer up to $50 million for Mercedes.  We probably don’t have $50 million to offer, and we don’t have any flights to Germany.  But Atlanta doesn’t have a Mercedes plant 30 miles from downtown.  What do we have to lose?* Continue reading Our region’s future and the conversations we do not have →