Page 26 - Erica Wright News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

By Erica Wright The Birmingham Times The 35th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast may have been virtual due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, but the spirit of Dr. King could be felt by anyone who watched the moving ceremony through computer screens.  The annual unity breakfast, which is usually held at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) North Exhibition Hall was streamed live on livestream.com to comply with safe, social distancing guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  While the breakfast may have looked different, that d...

By Erica Wright The Birmingham Times  Miles College and Lawson State Community College officials on Wednesday announced their partnerships with Propel Center, a new global campus headquartered in Atlanta that will support innovative learning and development for Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) across the nation.  Both schools will collaborate with Propel Center and the entire HBCU community to bring leadership and career development programming to its students. Propel Center was designed by Birmingham-based Ed Farm, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing education through...

The Birmingham Times “You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future “Hello’’ column, or know someone, please send nominations to Erica Wright ewright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique. JEGIL AND GRACE DUGGER Married: May 23, 2009 Met: In 2004, in Five Points. “There was a Ruby Tuesdays right where the Chick-Fil-A currently is,” Jegil said. Both were out having dinner with friends. “It was a rainy night. I remember that was ...

By Erica Wright The Birmingham Times  For the first time ever, the Birmingham City Council on Tuesday held its weekly meeting virtually.  Councilors and other city officials met through WebEx, a web and video conferencing app, and streamed the meeting on the council’s Facebook page.  The decision came after a recent surge in coronavirus cases and one week after Mayor Randall Woodfin tested positive for the disease. The mayor was hospitalized Monday evening with COVID-19 pneumonia, but is in stable condition, according his personal physician.  “We have decided to go into ...

The Birmingham Times  As 2020 ends in Birmingham with homicides up by 13 percent over 2019, Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith on Wednesday announced a number of steps to reduce crime which include focusing on specific areas of violence, pursuing perpetrators more aggressively and training.  “We plan to move our tactical operations precinct over into our investigative bureau so that our citywide taskforce and crime reduction team can receive immediate information on those wanted individuals and provide immediate follow up apprehension,” said Smith, during a morning press co...