Wade on Birmingham

Wade on April 2007

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Then and now

The leisurely stroll for mayor: Councilor Valerie Abbott decided to run for mayor of Birmingham, joining the uncrowded official field of one, attorney Patrick Cooper. With a mere 130 days to Election Day, you’d think incumbents, pols and crazies would be jumping into the fray left and right. And yet, it appears leading our fair city has all the appeal of, say, sports dome interior decorator.

Still, Abbott found a way to get her inclusion resolution passed on the second attempt two weeks ago. Since then, gays and lesbians have taken over several city districts, as well as key positions in public works and zoning. The metro area is expected to surrender by month’s end.

How to make the government your bitch: First, write about a jillion articles exposing corruption in the state two-year college system, sending pols running for cover and costing them their ill-gotten thousands. Then, win the highest journalism honor in the land, the Pulitzer Prize. Finally, make the very same pols sing your praises in a resolution — even after they try to kill it the first time. That’s how Birmingham News reporter Brett Blackledge did it. Super sweet.

The latest in the ongoing debacle? Gov. Riley has put a new chancellor in place with hopes of reforming the system, a move that has angered Alabama Education Association head Paul Hubbert. Also, an Auburn company has admitted to receiving $9 million in business and paying thousands in kickbacks to former chancellor Roy Johnson and his family.

Lost in the shuffle? Monroeville native and Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Cynthia Tucker also earned a Pulitzer this year. Her hometown has been fertile territory for Pulitzers, as she joins Harper Lee and Truman Capote in the winners’ circle.

Zero-a-days: Hoover’s Taylor Hicks is no longer the reigning Idol. And the Hoover Bucs are no longer the darlings of MTV. After two seasons, it’s likely we’ve seen the last of our shaggy-haired teen footballers: “Two-a-Days” has run out the clock.

At least we’ll still have Coach Rush Propst to kick around. Two weeks ago, the Alabama High School Athletic Association denied Hoover’s request to play an out-of-state game against a Cincinnati high school on Sept. 2, to be carried on ESPN2. The reason? “Sunday is a day of worship,” said AHSAA executive director Dan Washburn, though no formal rule prohibits Alabama high schools playing on Sundays. And you thought Propst was going to hell …

Crescent City capers: The Magic City Mission brought Birmingham’s heart to our friends in New Orleans. The weeklong volunteer trip took me and three other residents to Hands on New Orleans in the Central City neighborhood. We brought your supplies, your gift cards and your tools to contribute to the effort. We built a playground, gutted houses, painted murals and dodged gunfire. We ate well, slept soundly and can’t wait to go back.

And we will, in October. Watch this site for details on how you can join the fun.

This week, PBS host Tavis Smiley has shown excerpts from director Jonathan Demme’s latest film, a documentary called “Right to Return: New Home Movies from the Lower 9th Ward.” Demme began filming in New Orleans in January 2006, four months after Hurricane Katrina. Take a look …

1k run: April also marked the cruelest milestone … 1,000 posts on this site and counting. Yay, verbosity!

Haiku flashback

four eyes, can’t see [April 10]

The river stretches out
to a distant shore while we
wave to the barges.

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Archives: April

Special report: Wade on 2007

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