Category Archives: Guest columnist

Birmingham secret weapon on west side hilltop

Daniel Coleman
Daniel Coleman

Today’s guest columnist is Daniel Coleman.

After returning home full-time in 2017, I began to invest in local companies, where I got to know many of our city’s entrepreneurs.

I also started teaching finance at Birmingham-Southern College. At 53 years old, I realized that I was a little rusty. So I decided that it was time for me to learn to program in Python as well as learn actuarial math. In December 2018, I became the 16th president of Birmingham-Southern. Continue reading Birmingham secret weapon on west side hilltop →

Why World Games chose Birmingham

Alan Register
Alan Register

Today’s guest columnist is Alan Register.

The first World Games were played in Santa Clara, California in 1981.

They have not been played in America since.

Why then did they choose Birmingham?

And while we’re at it, why did the USFL select Birmingham?

There’s a simple answer, “a crazy idea” and “a winning streak.” Continue reading Why World Games chose Birmingham →

The transformation of downtown Birmingham

Michael Calvert
Michael Calvert

Today’s guest columnist is Michael Calvert.

Predictions are always risky—especially about the future—but here are my predictions for downtown and the larger City Center.

In 1982, when I became CEO of Operation New Birmingham, REV’s predecessor, many people asked if I would bring back department stores and other retailers. I said downtown had evolved beyond its past as a retail center. Continue reading The transformation of downtown Birmingham →

Why Birmingham is not competitive

Daniel Coleman
Daniel Coleman

Today’s guest columnist is Daniel Coleman.

If economic growth comes from increased productivity, where does productivity come from?  Capital and labor.

Capital can come from anywhere. Our issue in Birmingham is with “labor.” We have some great entrepreneurs here, with great ideas, who cannot find the workers they need to build and grow their companies. Continue reading Why Birmingham is not competitive →

Terrified 82-year-old says Alabama uses tax dollars against her

Marva Douglas
Marva Douglas

Today’s guest columnist is Marva Douglas.

I was 12 years old in 1951.

Too young to vote.

But that really didn’t matter because even if I’d been an adult, I could not have voted.

Voting rights for Black people didn’t come until 1965 with the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Continue reading Terrified 82-year-old says Alabama uses tax dollars against her →

Did you know Birmingham had a counterculture?

Terry Barr
Terry Barr

Today’s guest columnist is Terry Barr.

My brother asked me the other day if I remembered a place on Birmingham’s north side—1st Avenue, to be exact.

A place run by an old Bessemer guy, a friend of our mother, named Jim Anderson. His place was called: Seeds 4: Never Before Store. Continue reading Did you know Birmingham had a counterculture? →

What if Netlix’s wildly popular ‘Maid’ lived in Birmingham?

Allison L. Dearing
Allison L. Dearing

Today’s guest columnist is Allison Dearing.

If you haven’t watched ‘Maid’ on Netflix, please stop what you are doing and watch it now.

‘Maid’ passed ‘The Queens Gambit’ to be the most watched limited TV series on Netflix. Continue reading What if Netlix’s wildly popular ‘Maid’ lived in Birmingham? →