David Sher posts, Government structure, Race relations

Birmingham: Why do we continue to embarrass ourselves?

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Birmingham Water Works

Some folks want me to take sides in the Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB) squabble, but that’s not my role.  My role as publisher of ComebackTown is to place a spotlight on why we continue to put ourselves in such embarrassing situations.

For those of you who don’t know about the controversy, some folks in our State Legislature have determined that the BWWB is broken.  They want to increase the size of the board to bring about broader regional representation, implement term limits, cap board member compensation, and require public hearings before proposed rate increases. Continue reading Birmingham: Why do we continue to embarrass ourselves? →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Why do we apologize for Birmingham?

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David Dionne
David Dionne, Executive Director of Red Mountain Park

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

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

I moved to Birmingham in 2008, coming from a great job in Maryland where I was building and operating parks and trails.  I was lured to Birmingham after receiving a phone call about an opportunity at Red Mountain Park in Birmingham.  My knowledge of Birmingham was pitiful so I began to confirm the information provided by the recruiter.  First, I was astounded to learn that Birmingham was in the mountains.  Then I was delighted to find a city filled with outstanding restaurants, world-class hospitals, six universities, art museums, an excellent orchestra and an overall great quality of life. Continue reading Why do we apologize for Birmingham? →

David Sher posts, Government structure

I’ll do anything to help B’ham schools except send my kids there

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David Sher
David Sher

On March 1st I attended a TEDxBirmingham event at the Alys Stephens Center.  Fifteen speakers gave passionate speeches with the common theme to rediscover the magic of Birmingham. Quite frankly, it was an event I will never forget.

One of the speakers, Victoria Hollis, who’s the Program Manager at the Birmingham Education Foundation (ED), urged the audience to take ownership of Birmingham Schools.  She gave the analogy of a small child falling down on the playground. She said even though the child wasn’t yours, you would still rush over and pick the child up.  At the completion of her talk, the audience gave her an enthusiastic standing ovation.

A friend, who was sitting next to me, tapped me on the shoulder and implored me to go home and write a blog for ComebackTown about Victoria and her talk.

This is that blog.  But it’s not the blog my friend thought I would write. Continue reading I’ll do anything to help B’ham schools except send my kids there →

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Young professional: I choose Birmingham ’cause I can make a difference

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Samantha Dubrinsky
Samantha Dubrinsky

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

Today’s guest blogger is Samantha Dubrinsky .  We love to hear from young professionals.   If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Sometimes, coming back from vacation can be tough. Spending time away from work can produce a completely full inbox of emails and many voicemails to return, but it’s nice to get away and take some time to relax every now and then.

I recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Canada where I got to see some of my friends who I met on my Birthright trip to Israel last February. Birthright is a free trip to Israel for young Jewish adults ages 18-26. Connecting with them was great! I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to see them again, but I left Canada feeling a little uneasy. Continue reading Young professional: I choose Birmingham ’cause I can make a difference →

David Sher posts, Government structure, UAB

What would Birmingham look like without UAB–Anniston?

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UAB To compare Birmingham with no UAB to Anniston is an unfair exaggeration and I apologize to the good citizens of Anniston.  I could have selected any mid-sized city, but I Googled “cities in Alabama” and Anniston came to the top alphabetically.

Visualize Birmingham without UAB.  Exit the Red Mountain Expressway at University Avenue (without UAB–it would be 8th Avenue South) and drive west.

What would we see in place of the 86 square blocks occupied by UAB? Continue reading What would Birmingham look like without UAB–Anniston? →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Single father sees Birmingham through rose colored glasses

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Shariff Simmons
Sharrif Simmons

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

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

I’m not originally from Birmingham. I was born on Long Island, New York, raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, studied at Ealing College in West London, had a  brief stay in Atlanta, even lived in Tampa Bay for a while, but when I moved to Birmingham in 2004, I decided to stay. Making Birmingham my new home was motivated by several factors, the most important of which, being a single father to a preternaturally gifted child, was to pursue a course of action that would nurture his talents and provide him, at the very least, a competitive education in a developing community. I use the word developing here, because when I arrived 10 years ago, Birmingham was not the city it is today. Continue reading Single father sees Birmingham through rose colored glasses →

David Sher posts, Government structure, What's great about Birmingham

Atlanta embarrassed–Birmingham soars

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“There was no coordination around school closings, because there are more than two-dozen city and county school systems in “__________.” There was little coordination between highway clearance and service to city streets because “_________” is comprised of dozens of municipalities connected by state and federal highway systems.”

Was this written about Birmingham?  Nope, this was written about “Atlanta.”  Continue reading Atlanta embarrassed–Birmingham soars →

David Sher posts, Government structure, Population

An idea that would transform Birmingham

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Sam Addy
Sam Addy, Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama

How about an idea most people think would transform Birmingham–but they will not consider because they think it would be impossible to implement?

You may say we don’t need to do anything different because we’re making progress.  We are making progress, but let‘s look at how metro Birmingham compares to our regional rivals in several key areas. (Birmingham Business Journal January 10, 2014).

Comparison of eight peer cities:  Birmingham, Austin, Atlanta, Charlotte, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Oklahoma City: Continue reading An idea that would transform Birmingham →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham represents family, love, strength, diversity

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Avani Patel
Avani Patel

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

Today’s guest blogger is Avani Patel .  We love to hear from young professionals.   If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Who am I?

People ask themselves this vital question from childhood until old age.  What does this question really mean, and why do we continue to ask ourselves this question?

Let us start with our childhood.  As a child I was a little Indian girl with an American accent with a twinge of southern slang.  I moved to Birmingham, AL at the young age of one and been in love with Birmingham ever since.  I attended school with other children who were very similar to me in personality and age group but not so much in appearance.  When I asked myself – who am I? Continue reading Birmingham represents family, love, strength, diversity →

David Sher posts

3 Things Charles Barkley said about Birmingham

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Charles Barkley spoke to the Rotary Club of Birmingham in August.

So why did I wait so long to write about his talk?

I invited him to be a guest blogger on ComebackTown, but have had no luck so far.   In the meantime I thought it was important for everyone to hear what he had to say…and he did have a lot to say–particularly about Birmingham. Continue reading 3 Things Charles Barkley said about Birmingham →

To begin a conversation about a better Birmingham