A homicide prevention strategy that will work

Danny Carr, District Attorney
Danny Carr, District Attorney
Prim F. Escalona, U.S. Attorney
Prim F. Escalona, U.S. Attorney

Today’s guest columnists are Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr and U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.

Jefferson County has a murder problem.

Our murder problem is so prolifically deadly, that it even eclipses the annual homicide rate for the entire continent of Australia, a nation of more than 25 million people. Continue reading A homicide prevention strategy that will work

Local entrepreneur sells company for $1.2 billion—big win for Birmingham

Shegun Otulana

By David Sher

When you read this column, you may think it’s about a successful entrepreneur selling his business and making a lot of money.

He did make a lot of money, but the real story is that this man plans to build multiple businesses that will create many much needed high paying jobs. Continue reading Local entrepreneur sells company for $1.2 billion—big win for Birmingham

What if Birmingham had a goose that laid golden eggs?

Golden egg. drawing by Adam Stermer
Golden egg. drawing by Adam Stermer

By David Sher

Ever wonder what it would be like to have a goose that laid golden eggs?

You would feed that magic bird to get more and more golden eggs.

Currently, our Birmingham region is struggling to set a direction for our economic future. Continue reading What if Birmingham had a goose that laid golden eggs?

A startling phone call from an Alabama segregationist governor

Michael D. Waters
Michael D. Waters

Today’s guest columnist is Michael D. Waters.

Less than one month after Fob James was first inaugurated Governor of Alabama in January 1979, I answered my home telephone on a Saturday afternoon and a friendly voice on the other side said:  “Hello, is this Mike Waters, the governor’s legal adviser?” Continue reading A startling phone call from an Alabama segregationist governor

A Birmingham legend touched my life

Fred Sington (Portrait courtesy Kiwanis Club of Birmingham)

By David Sher

Some men dream to play golf in the PGA.

Others to climb Mount Everest or travel the world.

For some unexplainable reason, my dream was to be the Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Go figure….seems kind of lame, doesn’t it? Continue reading A Birmingham legend touched my life

Is metro Birmingham ready for regional governance?

Christopher Tyler Burks
Christopher Tyler Burks

Today’s guest columnist is Christopher Tyler Burks.

It seems to me that David Sher has done us all a great service by publishing ComebackTown.com.

While there is excellent coverage of regional issues across our media, this site has become the de facto beat reporter for discussions of regional cooperation in Greater Birmingham. Continue reading Is metro Birmingham ready for regional governance?

Birmingham is dying—a rebuttal to an editorial attacking black elected officials

PHOTO BY CHRISTINE PRICHARD--Donald Watkins, a lawyer for Richard Scrushy, in this file photo talks on his cell phone as he approaches the Hugo Black Federal Courthouse.
PHOTO BY CHRISTINE PRICHARD–Donald Watkins, a lawyer for Richard Scrushy, in this file photo talks on his cell phone as he approaches the Hugo Black Federal Courthouse.

By David Sher

On November 18, Donald Watkins published a column on his website entitled, “Birmingham is Dying.”

I immediately began getting e-mails from ComebackTown readers looking for my reaction. Continue reading Birmingham is dying—a rebuttal to an editorial attacking black elected officials

White and black parents talked differently to their children

Mike Diccicco
Mike Diccicco

Today’s guest columnist is Mike Diccicco.

I’m a white guy that grew up in the 60’s in Birmingham. Moved there in 2nd grade, left after graduating high school in 1967.

During that whole time, I had one black friend, a kid named Jackie, same age as me, who lived in an old farmhouse a half-mile through the woods from our modest rancher on Lynn Acres Drive in Roebuck. Continue reading White and black parents talked differently to their children

To begin a conversation about a better Birmingham