The Birmingham Business Alliance is looking to the future in a city with a very troubled recent past. At its annual meeting Tuesday, the organization focused on Blueprint Birmingham, its effort to develop a regional plan for economic development.

The playbook has been similar to Opportunity Austin, the successful program that made the Texas city more competitive.

• Step 1: Hire Atlanta firm Market Street.
• Step 2: Ask for input on education, infrastructure, quality of life and other aspects through a survey.

Those interested can take the survey online or print the 69-page version to send in.

The survey deadline is Monday.

The last time Alabama’s unemployment rate was this high was more than 25 years ago. With 226,790 unemployed workers, the state’s jobless rate hit 10.9 percent in October, a slight increase from 10.7 percent the month before.

But the news is far worse in Birmingham. In October 2008, 26,000 people in the Birmingham-Hoover metro area were out of work. This October, more than 50,000 were unemployed, a 95 percent increase from year to year.

It could be worse. No, really: One economist at Regions Bank says Alabama’s unemployment rate could hit 12 percent by spring.

Ernie Dunn, a candidate for mayor of Birmingham, was found dead in his Hoover home Thursday night. The 49-year-old man had a history of medical problems according to authorities.

In an interview published earlier today by the Birmingham News, Dunn explained why he was running, even with a residence outside of Birmingham:

“I need a job. I’ve been trying to get back into the job market and the mayor’s job came open. I figured why don’t I give it a try. I’ll make good decisions for everyone, but I need a paycheck. I’m hun­gry just like everyone else.

“I’m broke. There is nothing else I can rent currently.”

Thirteen candidates remain in the race. Election Day is Tuesday.

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

Birmingham native became second winningest coach in college football history; will lead Seminoles in one last bowl game

Video: “I’ve got to go get a job. I ain’t had a job in 55 years.”

Coach Bobby Bowden announced Tuesday that he would retire after 34 years at Florida State, capping a 44-year career. The Birmingham native amassed 388 wins at Samford, West Virginia and Florida State, second only to Joe Paterno at Penn State.

Bowden led Florida State to two national championships in 1993 and 1999 and has never had a losing season there, save for his first season in 1976 at 5-6. The current Seminole team is 6-6, heading to a yet-to-be-decided bowl game.

He grew up in Woodlawn, then East Lake, played as a quarterback at Alabama, before transferring to Howard College (now Samford). Bowden modeled his career after another legendary coach, Alabama’s Paul “Bear” Bryant.

On his retirement, Bowden said:

“Nothing lasts forever, does it? But I’ve had some wonderful years here at Florida State, you know it. Hadn’t done as good lately as I wish I could have, but I’ve had wonderful years, no regrets.”

Video: The Bowden legacy

Also:

• Associated Press: “FSU coach Bobby Bowden to retire after bowl game”
• Bhamwiki: Bobby Bowden
• “Being Bobby Bowden”

• • •

And in other football news …

Alabama’s high school football championships take place today and Friday in Tuscaloosa. Birmingham had played host to the games since 1996, but lost a bid earlier this year to Tuscaloosa and Auburn.

The only Birmingham-area team still in the running is Hoover. The 13-1 Buccaneers play 6A arch-rival Prattville at 7 p.m. Friday in Bryant-Denny Stadium. All games will air on WUOA-TV 23.

Our pal Christie has been working overtime pulling together all of the Black Friday deals around Birmingham on Birmingham Bargain Mom.

Here are our favorites to help you save time, money and stress during the post-Thanksgiving madness …

• Dollar General Thanksgiving discounts: Why wait till Friday when you can save on Thursday? DVD players for $20, 5MB digital cameras for $25 and more.

• Freebies! Target has free reusable tote bags, Costco has free cookbooks, and Sam’s Club has free breakfast. Um, yes, yes and … pass.

• Payless ShoeSource coupon for buy one, get one half off: The coupon is available online, and a bonus coupon is available via special text message.

• Bass Pro Shops: Hooded sweatshirts for $10, Under Armour shirts for $39.99 and Garmin Nuvi 255 GPS navigator for $99.99  Open Thanksgiving, too.

Also: FatWallet has a comprehensive list of all Black Friday deals, which we’ve put into this Google Doc.

If you know of other Black Friday bargains, leave a comment.

Photo by lordcolus / CC BY 2.0

CEO keynote explains parallels and possibilities

Jay Grinney told attendees of the Birmingham Economic Summit Thursday that HealthSouth’s comeback can show the way for Jefferson County to solve its debt and leadership crisis. The HealthSouth chief executive officer was the keynote speaker during lunch at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.

Included above are slides from his presentation, which show how badly the rehab company screwed up, and how nothing short of replacing all top officers and changing the culture kept the company from shutting down.

Grinney pointed out that during his travels across the country, Jefferson County was known far and wide for its convicted officials and massive sewer debt: “More people are aware of Jefferson County’s problems than they were of HealthSouth’s problems.”

He cited the Birmingham Business Alliance’s plan in the works to stimulate economic development, and the need for a combined county-city government.

The two-day summit concludes today.

What do you think? Can the county learn from HealthSouth? Should it work on cooperative or combined government?

The nonprofit groups came together at one point, back in 2006, to meet, to share, to collaborate. A new idea was taking hold: Birmingham-area volunteers and board members could find ways to help each other out. It was called the YP Roundtable.

In October, that same group decided it was time for a pat on the back. Several in fact. The group has partnered with the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce over the past three years. Now that the chamber is dead, the Birmingham Business Alliance has pushed for a new program, the Birmingham Leadership Awards.

Want to win the fawning praise for your formerly selfless good deeds? Let’s go through the process:

1. You nominate yourself. You fill out the form on behalf of yourself, in one of two categories: more than or less than 5 years “in the Young Professional scene.” Or you can nominate your own organization (the three categories divide entrants by size of group). You talk about yourself, your accomplishments and even provide two letters of recommendation.

2. Judges pick up to 10 individuals and three groups as winners. Who are the judges? They haven’t been revealed yet. What are their criteria? The form doesn’t say.

3. Bask in glory, noble humble winners. The awards ceremony takes place Dec. 1.

What was once a chance to collaborate has degenerated into unnecessary competition. What was once a chance for those working to help charities and causes through combined effort has become an exercise in self-importance.

When the winners are announced, take a hard look at each one of them. No one plucked them out of obscurity to hold them up as shining examples for a troubled city to admire, even emulate.

Each one of them chose to enter, as if to say, “Look at me. Reward me. Me me me.”

Good works deserve recognition. But did we have to make it so selfishly egotistically uncharitable?

What’s your take? How do we recognize community champions without creating another awards monster?

The environment is a big part of the fourth annual Moss Rock Festival, both in setting and in theme. Eco-inspired art, ideas for sustainable living and guided hikes are part of the two-day celebration at Moss Rock Preserve in Hoover.

The free event includes music performances, kids’ activities, even a high-gravity beer tasting (for $10 extra).

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Visitors must park at nearby Regions Park (formerly the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium); shuttles will run throughout the day to the event site.

For more information, visit the official site.

Also: Birmingham Weekly, “Moss Rock Festival preview”

Shop, Save and Share starts today

Normally, we shy away from rampant consumerism. However, you gotta eat, and have clothes, and maybe an iPod or two.

Our friend Holly at the Lollar Group let us know about Shop, Save and Share, a program that saves you 20 percent off more than 500 retailers and restaurants, including Best Buy, Bromberg’s, Old Navy and Richard Joseph Salon Spa.

Donate $40 to receive the discount card, which is good today through Nov. 1. You can purchase the card online or through select retailers. (Note: Participating retail partners may limit or exclude specific items from the discount during the event.)

Donations support the Junior League’s 31 community projects in health, finances, safety and education.

For more information, visit the Shop, Save and Share page.

Birmingham Business Alliance to recognize nonprofit work

YPNow, formerly the YP Roundtable, wants to recognize leaders within the Birmingham-area nonprofit community with the recently announced Birmingham Leadership Awards. The new program will single out individuals younger than age 40 and nonprofit organizations based on self-nominations.

YPNow brings representatives of area nonprofit organizations together, in partnership with the Birmingham Business Alliance, to discuss and take action on issues related to young professionals and volunteerism.

Winners receive an award plaque, a mention in Birmingham Magazine and the Birmingham Business Alliance newsletter and the chance to participate in the awards’ process in 2010. The awards ceremony will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Summit Club downtown.

Applications must be postmarked by Nov. 20. It is free to apply and to attend the ceremony.

• Application [pdf]
• Awards ceremony registration
• More on the YP Roundtable

In August, we’re celebrating Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks, whether they be liars, thieves, extortionists, swindlers or thugs. A 30-part series running daily until Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s Aug. 31 Oct. 19 federal trial. Thanks to Bhamwiki for helping with this project.

16th Street Baptist Church bombers

Thomas Blanton Jr., Herman Frank Cash, Robert Chambliss and Bobby Frank Cherry

Chambliss, also known as “Dynamite Bob,” led a secret cell of the Ku Klux Klan and was the ringleader among the church bombers. He was convicted in 1977 for the murder of four girls caused by the 1963 bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church. Chambliss was sentenced to several terms of life in prison, and died there in 1985, still claiming innocence. Much of the testimony against him came from female relatives disgusted by his physical abuse of wife, Tee. Chambliss supposedly had help building the bomb from fellow Klansman Troy Ingram.

Cherry worked as a welder, carpet cleaner and truck driver. A member of the Klan, he supposedly married five times and had 15 children. He learned how to work with explosives while active with the Marines. Cherry’s ex-wife Willadean Brogdon testified, “He said he lit the fuse.” He was convicted in 2002 of murder and sentenced to life in prison. He died there in 2004, but maintained all along on his Web site that he was innocent, a “political prisoner in the state of Alabama.”

Blanton has worked as a security guard at the Liberty Park subdivision in Vestavia Hills and a sporting goods sales associate at the Walmart in Hoover, as well as an aircraft mechanic in the Navy in the 1950s. A state investigator said that Blanton would wait in grocery store parking lots and put acid on car seats belonging to black shoppers so it would burn their skin on contact. The Klansman was convicted in 2001 of murder and sentenced to life in St. Clair Correctional Facility.

Cash was a truck driver and Klan member. In 1965, the FBI considered him a top suspect in the church bombing, but he passed a polygraph test. Cash was arrested on weapons charges a few months before the bombing. He was never indicted for the bombing and died in 1994 in Pinson.

• • •

Additional reading:

• Bhamwiki: Herman Frank Cash | Robert Chambliss | Bobby Frank Cherry
• Crime Watch
• Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed

• • •

Want more Wade on Birmingham?
Subscribe to our free newsletter!

In August, we’re celebrating Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks, whether they be liars, thieves, extortionists, swindlers or thugs. A 30-part series running daily until Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s Aug. 31 Oct. 19 federal trial. Thanks to Bhamwiki for helping with this project.

Jack Montgomery

Position held: state judge, attorney

Wanted for: racketeering and extortion

Date of conviction: Jan. 4, 1994

Sentence: Montgomery faced up to 100 years in prison, but was found dead in the basement of his Vestavia Hills home 2 days before sentencing. His death was ruled suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound, but the gun was never found. Montgomery had to be declared legally innocent by the court, since he had not been sentenced prior to his death.

Criminally fun fact: Montgomery, known as the “Slamming Judge,” scared defendants by flipping a coin to decide sentencing. He once set bail at a record $9 trillion.

Montgomery claimed to have been tortured as a prisoner of war during the Korean War, but never served.

Montgomery took bribes from a drug dealer to fix trials until caught by an undercover Hoover police detective. Prior to sentencing, he broke his hip while running naked down his driveway and also wounded himself with a chainsaw.

Birmingham Post-Herald reporter Steve Joynt wrote about Montgomery in the biography, “Jack’s Law,” which Memphis’ Flashlight Films is developing into a movie.

(Hat tip: The Progressive Electorate.)

• • •

Additional reading:

• Bhamwiki: Category – Criminals
• Crime Watch
• Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed

• • •

Want more Wade on Birmingham?
Subscribe to our free newsletter!

In August, we’re celebrating Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks, whether they be liars, thieves, extortionists, swindlers or thugs. A 30-part series running daily until Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s Aug. 31 Oct. 19 federal trial. Thanks to Bhamwiki for helping with this project.

Jeff and Jessica McCord

Positions held: Jeff, Pelham police officer; Jessica, wife and mother

Wanted for: murder

Date of conviction: Jeff: April 15, 2003; Jessica: Feb. 15, 2003

Sentence: Jeff: two life terms in prison, eligible for parole in 24 years 6 months; Jessica: life in prison with no parole

Criminally fun fact: Jessica orchestrated the murders of her ex-husband and his wife over an ongoing custody battle. Jeff shot each one four times in the den of the McCords’ Hoover home. They put the bodies in her ex-husband’s rental car, then drove it to Georgia and set it on fire.

Jessica was about 2 months pregnant with her fifth child at the time of their arrest. A friend of the couple and Jessica’s mother were both convicted of perjury related to the case. The story became a 2007 episode of the reality crime series, “Snapped.”

• • •

Additional reading:

• Bhamwiki: Category – Criminals
• Crime Watch
• Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed

• • •

Want more Wade on Birmingham?
Subscribe to our free newsletter!

Here lies Jefferson County, the biggest county in Alabama, once home to the once biggest city in the state.

What killed Jefferson County? Poor leadership? Not enough civic engagement? Bad financial management? The recession?

Let us start with the budget, a gaping black hole of billions of dollars of debt from the sewer crisis debacle. [More stories on the Jefferson County sewer system problem.] Add to that the demise of the county’s bizarre occupational tax and its $75 million in annual revenue. Rainy day fund? Emergency action plan? What’s Jefferson County’s Plan B? Heck, it doesn’t seem like it has a Plan A …

Kyle Whitmire of Birmingham Weekly does an exceptional job in “Politician-Assisted Suicide” of breaking down the tangled politics and morass of mistakes that have led us to today, the end of the budget.

With no money left, the county has yet to declare bankruptcy. It has however …

• Placed 900 employees on administrative leave with no return date. (The county employs 3,000 workers.)
• Shut down its satellite courthouses where citizens can renew drivers’ licenses and auto tags.
• Revamped its Web site.
• Battled with Sheriff Mike Hale over budget cuts to his department.
• Left Cooper Green Mercy Hospital untouched.
• Fled town: Commission president Bettye Fine Collins was in San Diego at a Republican National Committee meeting (checked into a hotel under her maiden name), and Shelia Smoot was in Nashville at a National Association of Counties convention.

So what’s left? The Legislature could reinstate a revised occupational tax or force the commission to hire a county manager. Jefferson County’s legislators will meet again Tuesday to look for a solution via Montgomery.

Update: The commission must also fend off a lawsuit from within. County tax assessor Dan Weinrib filed suit today to prevent any budget cuts to his department. (Hat tip Kerry Sanders.)

Meanwhile, the debt grows, the commission is out, and workers and citizens are left to wonder how much worse can it get.

Looking for some hot and/or cool ways to spend your Independence Day weekend?

• The Birmingham News has 12 things to do (and one not to do, confusingly labeled under “Drinks”) around town. [PDF version]

• The Alabama Tourism Department has great activities across the state from A to V (Alexander City to Valley Head). [PDF version]

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Photo: Flickr: Jim Brickett / CC BY-ND 2.0