Because four months after the fact isn’t too ridiculously long a wait …
Down Biloxi way: We took eight people to the Gulf Coast as part of the Magic City Mission, and we did all right.
I gave you a small taste of life down in Biloxi, but this is a good opportunity to fill in a few more blanks from our weeklong volunteer trip.
A sweet treat for lovers and lonely hearts: Check out the award-winning 15-minute romantic comedy, “Piece of Cake.” Shot in Birmingham, the wedding-centric tale stars Mo Rocca, and was written and directed by our pal Jennifer West.
And more Valentine’s vids, after the jump …
Bob Henriques/Magnum Photos
“A riot is the language of the unheard.”
— Address given in Birmingham, Dec. 31, 1963
Happy Martin Luther King Day!
Hello, Larry: After a relatively subdued campaign, Jefferson County commissioner Larry Langford bested nine other candidates to become Birmingham’s mayor. Soon thereafter, second-place finisher Patrick Cooper challenged Langford’s residency in court, only to drop it two months later.
The mayor-elect wasted no time in stirring things up, even though he wouldn’t officially take office until November. (See below.)
Check out his inauguration on Nov. 13 …
Artistry all around: Two of Birmingham’s biggest festivals made September a downtown destination. Artwalk had another successful outing, pulling in more than 10,000 visitors over two days. Your 2007 winners are Omni Studio (First Place), Bobby Michelson (Second Place), Royal Miree (Third Place) and Scotty White (Honorable Mention).
The Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival closed out the month without the turmoil of the past year (funding issues! staff changes! filmmaker bickering!). The three-day festival featured a new executive director, a better opening night film (”The Ten,” which sent a few audience members scurrying out early), and the usual slate of parties, films and fun. In all, the judges and audience selected 34 winners … 10 more than the Oscars.
Photographer Larry O. Gay shares his snapshots from Artwalk …
Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters
Happy New Year! Bless us and keep us safe in 2008, a 366-day odyssey of discovery, wonder and joy.
Have a Merry Christmas, y’all!
It’s not the season for me without hearing Darlene Love singing “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home).”
And look for an extra-special bonus video on the jump, whether you’ve been naughty or nice!
We’re thankful for so much. Have a wonderful holiday! “See you soon, you sly devil.”
P.S. Happy Slapsgiving! (See video on the jump.)
Eight volunteers from Birmingham are working this week
to rebuild Biloxi and New Orleans.
We made it to the Gulf Coast, and we couldn’t have done it without you.
I’m spending the week in Biloxi with two more Birmingham residents. Our other team of five is staying in New Orleans. The eight of us are volunteering this week as part of the Magic City Mission, a partnership with nonprofit volunteer agency Hands on Birmingham.
Thanks to your generosity, we raised $1,390, which paid for our transportation costs as well as food and shelter at Camp Hope in New Orleans and Hands on Gulf Coast in Biloxi. But it also provided hundreds of dollars for both agencies plus St. Bernard Project in New Orleans, money to use at their discretion.
We’d also like to thank Curtis Palmer and TechBirmingham for donating three laptops to these agencies. And thanks also to Birmingham-Southern College for providing our parking.
So let me tell you about the trip so far …
We’re no good at remembering anniversaries, even our own.
Saturday marked the two-year anniversary of this humble site, Wade on Birmingham.
At two years plus two days, this site has featured more than 1,200 posts, featuring our favorite city and state, all for our growing and loyal readership. A few highlights from the past 12 months:
The leader of the pack: Very soon, a mayor will reign, whether it’s the current one or any of the eight (and counting) challengers. Can Birmingham save itself? Can a mayor make a difference?
A series of mayoral forums (not debates, sigh) are allowing voters to ask questions in limited fashion. One such forum this month brought five candidates to the stage to discuss the homeless problem. [Listen to forum podcasts.] (more…)
As I sit here in my darkened house waiting for the power to come back on, I realize that it ain’t so bad. I haven’t written in a while, and I can put Superphone to the test.
