BYLINE:NICK PATTERSON

Journalist.

United States

Nick Patterson's work has appeared online and in newspapers and magazines including BirminghamWatch, Weld:Birmingham's Newspaper*, The Birmingham Times, Southern Living, Coastal Living, This Old House, History Magazine, Southern Automotive Alliance*, Lakeside Living magazine, the Birmingham Post-Herald, and in books including his own Birmingham Foot Soldiers: Voices from the Civil Rights Movement. With a background in writing, editing, digital content creation, public relations, teaching and consulting, he works (in 2021) as managing editor at Starnes Media, a newspaper and marketing company in Birmingham, Alabama. Also see https://np30.journoportfolio.com/

*Due to circumstances beyond my control, Weld clippings are no longer available, and Southern Automotive clippings may be relocated on the SAAM website.

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Nick Patterson Freelance
08/14/2018
Barber Motorsports

Recently, I paid a visit to an amazing place: Birmingham's Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. I was there for a story for Southern Automotive Alliance magazine, and had the privilege of being shown around by the man behind the world's largest motorcycle museum - George Barber. Before I got to explore the world-class race track and...

Southern Automotive Alliance
04/19/2018
Faces: Behind the Wheel

When competitors in a certain high-profile sport hear they're up against "the Williams sisters" they usually know they need to bring their A game. Well, there's another set of Williams sisters in Tennessee, and while they may not strike terror into the hearts of their opponents, folks who encounter them know they mean business - [...]

Southern Automotive Alliance
04/10/2018
Moving Forward

Workforce development, education, and infrastructure development are the keys to future growth and success for the automotive sector - according to a recent panel discussion which brought together heads of Alabama-based manufacturers and suppliers. Leaders of Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Kamtek and Autocar talked about how the automotive sector in Alabama has grown - and what must [...]

Southern Automotive Alliance
04/10/2018
eLabs: a Springboard to Success

It's not hard to see a major automotive manufacturer as a boon to a hometown's economy. Volkswagen Chattanooga is also proving to be a boon to local education. Eight "eLabs" - offering state-of-the-art equipment and a guided learning experience to give students access to rapid prototyping technologies including renewable energy components, laser cutters, CNC routers, 3D [...]

Southern Automotive Alliance
11/07/2018
Volvo in South Carolina

Jeff Moore, vice president of manufacturing at the new Volvo plant in South Carolina, talks about why the Palmetto State is the place for the luxury brand to build.

Southern Automotive Alliance
09/18/2018
The Beauty of Speed

George Barber's love of fast cars and powerful motorcycles still propels his one-of-a-kind museum in Birmingham, Alabama.

Southernautomotivealliance
ABL-Technic

Photos by Henri Hollis Hard to believe but even people in the automotive industry can be surprised by some of what goes into producing a new car. "I worked at BMW manufacturing for ten years, and never would have known that there was a business model for something like this," says Yolanda Upshaw, the general manager of ABL-Technic in Fairburn, Georgia.

BirminghamWatch
06/28/2018
But Wait, There's More - BirminghamWatch

Trump's wish list of budget eliminations connect with his overall efforts to get rid of programs he opposes. And that connects as well to his more recent move to rescind some of the money Congress already authorized for specific programs. On May 8, the Trump administration submitted a request to

BirminghamWatch
06/28/2018
Trump's Budget Wish List: What It Could Mean for Alabama - BirminghamWatch

If President Trump were to get the federal budget he proposed in February, people in Alabama would stand to lose programs designed to improve distressed neighborhoods, provide affordable housing in rural communities, assist small manufacturers, support the training of nurses, provide legal assistanc

Issuu
Southern Automotive Alliance June-July 2018

Southern Automotive Alliance tells the ongoing story of the community involved in the automotive manufacturing sector in the American South. The people, the innovations and the trends, from design to factory and beyond.

Southernautomotivealliance
New plant hailed as another Tuscaloosa groundbreaker

Southern Automotive Alliance is a voice for the fastest growing automotive industry in North America. We report on the latest developments in production and business decisions affecting members of some of the leading statewide automotive manufacturing associations in the South.

Issuu
Southern Automotive Alliance April/May 2018

Southern Automotive Alliance is a voice for the fastest growing automotive industry in North America. We report on the latest developments in production and business decisions affecting members of some of the leading statewide automotive manufacturing associations in the South.

The Birmingham Times
11/29/2017
Randall Woodfin sworn in as Birmingham's 30th mayor

By Nick Patterson For The Birmingham Times On a bright sunny day on a stage with a gigantic American flag as a backdrop, Randall Woodfin took the oath of office to become the 30th mayor of the city of Birmingham and one of the youngest in its history.

The Birmingham Times
11/27/2017
Former Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington on William Bell's legacy

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times If anyone knows how to assess the performance of a chief executive in the city of Birmingham, it's Richard Arrington. The former mayor, the first black politician to hold that office, knows firsthand what it means to govern in Alabama's largest city.

Southernautomotivealliance
Super Duty - Silas Birch

Text By nick patterson // Photo by aaron borton When Silas Birch went to work at Ford in Louisville, Kentucky, the truck plant wasn't even built yet. But when it was, he knew he had found the place he'd want to work for a lifetime.

The Birmingham Times
11/23/2017
For Birmingham's corporate community, Mayor William Bell meant business

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times To demonstrate how Birmingham Mayor William Bell has affected the economy of the region for the better, Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) President and CEO Brian Hilson cited two cases in point: STERIS Healthcare and Autocar. Ohio-based STERIS, which provides medical equipment and infection-prevention technology, purchased Birmingham-based Integrated Medical Systems International (IMS) in 2014.

The Birmingham Times
11/22/2017
Mayor William Bell's legacy: What he accomplished, and what he didn't

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times As any politician who has been in office for decades leaves the seat of power, the question of legacy arises. What did he or she accomplish? That's certainly true as Birmingham Mayor William Bell prepares to cede power on Nov.

The Birmingham Times
11/23/2017
Birmingham Mayor Bell on some of his noteworthy accomplishments

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times Despite controversies over the years - including his contentious relationship in the end with the Birmingham City Council and the negatives his opponents targeted in the successful effort to unseat him - outgoing Mayor William Bell's record includes significant accomplishments.

Southernautomotivealliance
Performance Landscape

TEXT BY nick patterson // photos courtesy of Perkins+will Automotive plants come in varying configurations, often with vast amounts of space dedicated to factory operations, and mostly with office space built in. They are always functional, always at least utilitarian, and sometimes not focused on architectural aesthetics.

The Birmingham Times
10/31/2017
Randall Woodfin announces co-chairs of Education and Economic Development Committees

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times Birmingham Mayor-elect Randall Woodfin today announced the co-chairs of his Education and Workforce Development and Economic Development and Entrepreneurship committees. The announcement, which Woodfin made in a busy workspace at the Alabama Workforce Training Center was the continuation of a series of leadership roles in citizen-led committees targeting issues in the city the new mayor-elect wants to address.

The Birmingham Times
10/11/2017
Birmingham Mayor-Elect Randall Woodfin announces transition team, outlines priorities

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times Birmingham's Mayor-Elect Randall Woodfin today announced a transition team spearheaded by a retired business executive and a former military leader and college president to oversee his transition into the mayor's office. Woodfin announced that he plans to take office next month and will assess the finances and leadership in every city department.

The Birmingham Times
09/30/2017
National Suicide Prevention Month - What to know, how you can help

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times When we think of violence, we often think of acts committed by one person against another. But in Alabama, the deadliest acts - in terms of numbers of lives lost - are committed by people against themselves.

The Birmingham Times
09/29/2017
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Three in Conspiracy to Bribe Oliver Robinson

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times U.S. Attorney Jay Town Thursday announced federal indictments against two attorneys and an executive of the Drummond Company for allegedly conspiring to bribe former state representative Oliver Robinson. The case, in which Robinson has already pleaded guilty, involves allegations of improperly attempting to shield Drummond from massive payouts in cleaning up polluted areas of north Birmingham.

The Birmingham Times
09/22/2017
New Nielsen report highlights the power of black women

Times Staff Report The power of black women cannot be denied, according to a report recently released by the Nielsen Company. "#BlackGirlMagic is trending-on social media and in real life," says the Nielsen summary of their report, African-American Women: Our Science, Her Magic. "What does it mean?

The Birmingham Times
09/21/2017
Two leaders in Kingston unite around community garden, other initiatives

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times When you see Lillie Cole walking around the Kingston Community Garden, tending to the pumpkin patch or checking under the soil for sweet potatoes, for instance, you might not know how important what she's doing is connected to the health and well-being of the community.

The Birmingham Times
09/21/2017
How UAB team eliminated some disparity between black and white women dealing with breast cancer

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times Data-driven research has for years borne out that there are diverse health conditions between different demographics-blacks and whites, for instance. "We know that ... more African-Americans die from cancer or heart disease or stroke or diabetes and infant mortality," said Mona Fouad, MD, director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center.

The Birmingham Times
09/21/2017
Sleep disparities between blacks and whites have nationwide impact

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times Sleep matters. And it matters more depending on your race, according to a study by a group of Auburn University scientists. Blacks get less sleep than whites and suffer relatively worse health outcomes because of it, their research found.

Southern Living
11/01/2001
Sam Phillips: Still Rockin'

The man who brought the world the king of the blues, the king of rock and the killer named Jerry Lee is still rockin' in the town that started it all.

BirminghamWatch
08/20/2017
Challenges Loom for New Board of Education Members - BirminghamWatch

When seats are filled in the upcoming election, what challenges will the new board face? Charter schools may represent a challenge. In March 2017, the Birmingham School Board turned down the application for STAR Academy to become a charter school option for Birmingham students.

The Birmingham Times
08/24/2017
Voters sent clear message to mayor, council president

By Nick Patterson The Birmingham Times Birmingham voters on Tuesday sent a signal that while they want to keep most of the city council members who currently occupy seats behind the dais, they're less sure about the council president or the mayor. Incumbent Mayor William A.

Weld: Birmingham's Newspaper
05/02/2017
Documenting Hate

'Weld' joins a growing list of news organizations around the country charting the rise of hate speech and acts. It is a well-documented fact that in the days after the presidential election, incidents of hate - speech, internet-based threats, or outright real-life violence - increased.

Southernautomotivealliance
Executive Q&A: Wil James

Wil James of Toyota puts his heart into his work and his Kentucky community.

Southernautomotivealliance
The Southern Automotive Conference: More than a Trade Show

Opening event of the 2014 Southern Automotive Conference at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum The Southern Automotive Conference, set for Oct. 4 - 6 in Birmingham, Alabama, will be the state's largest trade show. But it's much more than that, says Ron Davis, president of the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association.

Southernautomotivealliance
A New Addition

The driving force behind the automotive manufacturing sector - as it is with any car - is movement. It comes as no surprise, then, that healthy car manufacturers are never still. And that means that in the constant race to keep up with demand and changing consumer expectations, new models are often the end result.

Weld: Birmingham's Newspaper
07/21/2017
Community Conversations

The Ballard House Project talk series invites Birmingham to share and document its history The Ballard House - originally the home and office of one of Birmingham's first black doctors, now reopened as a center for cultural history - is hosting a series of talks designed to help people share and document recollections and facts about the city's past that might otherwise be lost.

Southernautomotivealliance
Volkswagen Chattanooga Developing Workforce Ready Students

Southern Automotive Alliance is a voice for the fastest growing automotive industry in North America. We report on the latest developments in production and business decisions affecting members of some of the leading statewide automotive manufacturing associations in the South.

Weld for Birmingham
01/19/2017
An Expansive View of Civil Rights, Part 3

On January 19, U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance will retire as the top federal law enforcement officer in north Alabama. Her departure from the position takes place one day before Donald Trump becomes America's next president; Trump would have had the option either to ask Vance to stay on as U.S.

Weld for Birmingham
01/12/2017
An Expansive View of Civil Rights, Part 2

Editor's note: U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance of the Northern District of Alabama announced today that she will retire as a federal prosecutor after 25 years on January 19, one day before Donald Trump becomes president of the United States.

Weld for Birmingham
01/04/2017
An Expansive View of Civil Rights

President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions to become the attorney general of the U.S. has set off a growing number of protests by critics challenging Sessions' record in defense of civil rights.

Weld for Birmingham
10/26/2016
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Just as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month prepared to enter its last week, the internet on the East Coast was sent reeling by a three-part distributed denial of service attack - commonly known as a DDoS - against a service provider that temporarily blocked access to website-based companies including Twitter, PayPal, Netflix, Airbnb and Reddit.

Weld for Birmingham
11/08/2016
Local conservative shows up at polling place with a gun

Was it an attempt at intimidating Roebuck voters, or a misunderstanding? A man who works at a Leeds pawn shop said he wasn't trying to intimidate voters when he showed up at a Roebuck polling place openly carrying a gun.

Weld for Birmingham
11/09/2016
Trump triumphant

Unorthodox business mogul Donald Trump wins the presidency, riding support from a new coalition including right wing nationalists and defying the political establishment. After a hard-fought presidential race ranked as one of the most bitter in recent memory, controversial billionaire businessman Donald Trump, the darling of the Alt-Right movement, evangelicals and a wide swath of mostly white voters disaffected with the economy, has been elected the 45th president of the United States.

Weld for Birmingham
10/12/2016
On the front line

Sgt. Anthony Williams was upbeat. The Birmingham Police Domestic Violence Unit had just finished a weekend prayer breakfast, dedicated to raising awareness about the problem he and his team of detectives deal with each day. The event had been well-attended - Williams felt good about that - featuring remarks from representatives of the BPD, the Jefferson County District Attorney's office, the U.S.

Weld for Birmingham
11/08/2016
Foodie Views: Hall Nesting

Birmingham blogger Lauren Hall talks the importance of family and food. This week in Hall Nesting , it's all about Sticky Honey Mustard Chicken and Twice Baked Potato Casserole . Or at least that's where the meal started at Lauren Hall's house on her kids' first Halloween.

Weld for Birmingham
10/14/2016
The YWCA and Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Year after year in October, individuals and institutions around the country observe Domestic Violence Month, an annual effort to draw attention to what President Barack Obama has called a scourge, an injustice and a violation of basic human rights.

Weld for Birmingham
09/23/2016
Birmingham School Board fires superintendent

Thursday night the Birmingham Board of Education voted 6-3 to fire Superintendent Kelley Castlin-Gacutan, as allegations of mishandling of funds swirled into public view. While it was not clear exactly why the board fired "Dr. G," as she has been known during her 16 month tenure as head administrator of the Birmingham City Schools, the vote cast light on a rift between board members.

Weld for Birmingham
09/15/2016
It's Google doodle time

The ubiquitous internet company which has made art fun, gives you or your offspring a chance to get into the act with your very own... It's amazing how much of our lives have been infiltrated by Google.

Weld for Birmingham
09/15/2016
Birmingham's 'most distressing' day

The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church commemorates the deadly event that rocked the nation in 1963. Fifty-three years ago, on September 15, 1963, the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church became the quintessential example of the destructive power of racial animus in America.

Weld for Birmingham
09/15/2016
The biggest of them all

The organization known today as the United Way of Central Alabama formed nearly 100 years ago as the Birmingham Community Chest, a way of raising money to fill charitable needs. The organization adopted its current name in 1992 and continues to work with a growing number of local charities and nonprofits in Jefferson, Blount, St.

Weld for Birmingham
08/25/2016
A new march for Birmingham

In a bid to get a presidential national park designation, city plays its best Civil Rights card. During the pivotal year of 1963, the Birmingham Campaign of the Civil Rights Movement brought mass marches into the city streets, demanding an end to enforced segregation, and drawing the eyes of the world to what was then a hotbed of strife and discord.

Weld for Birmingham
08/16/2016
Foodie Views: Dixie Chik

The talented Shea Goldstein cooks and dishes about it all over the internet. Through the end of the month, Helena Market Days will lure residents to Old Town Helena to get fresh fruits and vegetables and enjoy the company and the produce of local farmers, artisans, artists and musicians.

Weld for Birmingham
07/01/2016
Foodie Views: Angela Eats the Ham

The writer behind the popular blog dishes on the best, the worst and her fearless approach to new cuisine. In the latest installment of Foodie Views, our occasional look at Birmingham's food bloggers, we turn to Angela Moore, who, aside from her work as development director for Urban Ministry and sometimes the religion writer for the Birmingham Times , is a fiercely dedicated culinary explorer.

Weld for Birmingham
09/21/2016
Not an alt-weekly

Why is 'Weld' a community newspaper? has been misidentified as an alternative weekly on several occasions. Sometimes people seem to have a hard time understanding why we resist that label. And to be sure, as noted in a recent local magazine article, three of 's founders came from the world of alt-weeklies.

nickpattersonfreelance
02/19/2016
HISTORY IN PLAIN SIGHT: THE STORIES OF BIRMINGHAM'S FOOT SOLDIERS

The civil rights movement in Birmingham changed the course of the law in this country, and much of that change owes directly to the willingness of ordinary people, many of them children, to risk their safety in a bid for freedom. For Birmingham Foot Soldiers: Voices from the Civil Rights Movement, I interviewed several of...

Weld for Birmingham
02/17/2016
The Science of the Heart

Besides being Black History Month, February is also American Heart Month, and sometimes, it's easy to make the two intertwine. The American Heart Association uses the month to "connect more with the black community and educate on the issues they face," according to the group's website.

Weld for Birmingham
08/24/2016
Avoiding Crime

Violent crime is rising in major American cities, recent studies have demonstrated, and the steady stream of local news reports seems to make it impossible to miss the fact that crime is an everyday occurrence in metro Birmingham. But does that mean that you are bound to be victimized at some point?

Weld for Birmingham
03/04/2016
Being Puerto Rican in Alabama

When Luis Fernandez's mother came from Puerto Rico to Alabama, some years after he arrived, he took her down to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a state identification card. His mother, then 66, brought her birth certificate. "The lady asked me for a green card," Fernandez said.

Weld for Birmingham
03/28/2016
New test for Zika

Team from Birmingham-based Southern Research develop an innovative method for detecting the virus that's now spreading fear across the globe. Health officials all over the world are racing to stem the spread of the Zika virus, transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito.

WBHM 90.3
Nick Patterson Archives | WBHM 90.3

For some time now, I've been a regular media guest on WBHM Birmingham's National Public Radio affiliate. The station has grouped some of my interviews in a section on their website. Want to hear what you've missed? Follow the link! Nick Patterson is the editor for WELD for Birmingham, a weekly newspaper covering news and politics, arts and culture and community engagement in the Magic City. Patterson joins WBHM each Thursday during All Things Considered to discuss WELD's top stories.

Weld for Birmingham
01/18/2016
Henry Panion on making music essential

Birmingham-based composer, producer and recording studio and label owner Henry Panion has won two Grammy Awards, conducted orchestras around the world and produced music for his old friend Stevie Wonder, among many others. But it's in Birmingham, specifically in Woodlawn, where he regularly focuses a large part of his talent on providing music education for local kids through a program established by the Birmingham City Schools.

Weld for Birmingham
12/30/2015
Putting things in order

Residents of the west Birmingham neighborhoods struck by the Christmas tornado express gratitude and try to get back to normal. Trees felled and splintered. Wires down. Fences ruined. Houses with tarps on their roofs, and houses with no roofs at all. Timbers ripped from homes and shoved forcefully into the ground by a tornado.

Weld for Birmingham
12/17/2015
Murder in the Magic City: The Crime Fighters

The deadly and perplexing problem of homicide in Birmingham has raised questions in the minds of the city's critics about how safe the community is. Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper said he's seriously concerned, but that a rise in the murder rate is not necessarily a sign that the average person can't walk safely down the street, particularly if you consider the facts.

Weld for Birmingham
12/09/2015
Murder in the Magic City 2015

As this story is being written Birmingham stretches toward its 90th homicide of the year, making 2015 the deadliest year in the city since 2008. But, beyond the statistics, what does it say about the community and what's being done about it?

Weld for Birmingham
11/30/2015
Saving mothers and children

A doctor from Tanzania and members of an American grassroots political action organization recently paid a visit to Birmingham to drum up support for legislation aimed at reducing the numbers of mothers and children who die before or during childbirth.

Alabama News Center
11/16/2015
Better Basics works with Alabama's schools to ensure children can succeed

Above: After school programs like the community garden these kids have been working in are also part of the Better Basics service. If you can read this sentence, be thankful. Significant portions of the population, many of whom live in poverty, could improve their lives if they simply possessed the ability to read.

Alabama News Center
10/31/2015
Common brings music to Birmingham Museum of Art for the Classic Soiree

Common performs at Birmingham Museum of Art for Classic Soiree from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo. Under a massive tent on the upper plaza of the Birmingham Museum of Art, the multi-platform artist known as Common took a stage bathed in light and brought his party to the Magic City Classic and a crowd revved up to see more than football.

Weld for Birmingham
10/28/2015
A School Apart

Morning time. Imagine the sound of almost 70 young voices, rising from children ranging from kindergarteners to high school seniors, sitting in a circle on the floor singing Americana folk songs - Stephen Foster's "Slumber My Darling" among others - while their head teacher sits with them, playing acoustic guitar and singing too.

nickpattersonfreelance
11/11/2015
Waging war on the ignorance of ageism

Someone once told me that I must always wage war on ignorance. As I see it, I've been quietly engaged in a cold war on the ignorance of ageism, at least since I turned 50. I have discovered the fact that professionals my age often confront: that many younger hiring managers and perhaps older ones...

Weld for Birmingham
08/05/2015
Thoughts on the racial divide

"Now I truly understand that God is not partial..." Acts 10:34 Opinions, it is said, are like noses - everybody has one. And that's true of opinions about a subject so touchy that many people prefer to stay away from it - publicly, at least - race.

Alabama News Center
09/24/2015
Eva Frontier Days

The north Alabama town of Eva may have a population of only about 500 people, but they sure know how to put on a show. Specifically, the big show is the annual Frontier Days Festival that takes over the 2.9 square miles of the Morgan County community for the whole last week in September.

Weld for Birmingham
09/24/2015
Thoughts on the Racial Divide - Part 3

The experiences of Birmingham's Hispanic community are as many and varied as the people who make it up, or the places around the world that they left to come to the U.S. and ultimately to Alabama. Continuing the conversation about race relations, this week, Weld takes a second look at the Latino perspective this time from some who are in the business world.

Alabama News Center
07/17/2015
Sloss Fest is latest note in Alabama music scene's long resonance

Zarinah & the Zaratans on the Alabama music scene from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo. When St. Paul and the Broken Bones take the Blast Stage on Sunday night at the Sloss Music and Arts Festival, they will prove a point in their own way about the power and the potential of music in Alabama.

Alabama News Center
09/06/2015
Feeding Alabama

ABOVE: Among the many ways the Bay Area Food Bank provides for its clients is by growing fresh food for free distribution (Photo courtesy of Bay Area Food Bank). The coast of the Gulf of Mexico automatically conjures up images of beaches, waves and fun.

Weld for Birmingham
06/03/2015
Open for interpretation?

The Alabama Legislature this week took up amendments to the state's Open Meetings Act, designed to make sure that public business is done in public, even as politicians and judges apparently struggle at times to understand what that law means. The open meetings law is supposed to make government transparent.

Weld for Birmingham
05/13/2015
Free-range parenting

There is a scene in a well-known movie where a 10-year old boy and his six-year old sister walk from their home in a small Alabama community some distance away into the center of town, where they go to see what their father, a lawyer, is up to.

Weld for Birmingham
05/06/2015
How we rank

It's the kind of list, er, story that you've likely become familiar with in the age of sharing - via the Internet, through journalism portals ranging from Forbes to Weld, and through social media like blogs, and Facebook, and Twitter.

Weld for Birmingham
03/18/2015
Transformation

When the Department of Justice announced recently that Birmingham would be part of a pilot program in police-community relations, it represented a sea change in the perceived relationship between law enforcement and at least some of the citizens in this city.

Alabama News Center
09/01/2015
Four-legged comfort

If you had a loved one, gravely ill in a hospital, how much would it mean to you to see him or her smile? Liz Wilson has seen just that many times, witnessing a hospital stay brighten because a door opened and in walked - not a doctor - but a comforting visitor with four legs.

Weld for Birmingham
05/03/2015
The path to 'The Geography of You and Me'

On August 3, 2009, something unimaginable happened to Amy Bickers that altered the course of her life. Her ex-husband took his own. Right in front of her. Bickers, then an editor at Southern Living magazine in Birmingham, was at home when it happened.

Weld for Birmingham
04/08/2015
A scourge returns

It may have been a stunning irony that on World TB Day, which is celebrated March 24 every year, the Homewood City Schools posted the following on their website: Dear Parents: We have been notified by the Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH) that a freshmen student at Homewood High School has been diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Weld for Birmingham
02/18/2015
Crime story

About 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 28, Edward Ashton returned to the parking lot behind his apartment in the Five Points South neighborhood. He lives a block from a Birmingham Police substation, in what is generally perceived as a safe neighborhood. Then he got robbed.

Weld for Birmingham
01/14/2015
Martin Luther King Day

As a nation remembers the civil rights icon, a community evaluates the progress of his dream.

This Old House magazine
2000
Sweet Home Alabama

A Southern Bungalow Reinterprets Its Arts and Crafts Heritage

Weldbham
09/25/2013
New students, new parents, new reality, and change

Avery Biga is a friendly blond first grader, and as a white kid attending Avondale Elementary School, he's a minority student. One day Avery was trying to get his parents, Chris and Peggy, to recall a fellow student whose name he could not remember.

Southern Living
Tales from the Road: Sam Phillips

This 2008 blog post which I wrote (and which features a photo of Sam Phillips and me), refers back to a 2002 story I did when I interviewed the man who invented rock'n'roll.

Weldbham
02/05/2014
Beyond Black History

Shortly before Black History Month 2014 began, in his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama addressed an issue that has historically influenced the prosperity of the nation, and with disproportionate impact on that of its black citizens: the growing income gap.

B-Metro
2012
The Clinic

Father and son doctors help an underserved community

Weld for Birmingham
10/22/2014
The shape of domestic abuse: Part one

To see the smile that enlivens Gabrielle Neira's face, you might never know she was a victim of domestic violence. And yet there she was, telling her story in the downtown chapel of the YWCA of Central Alabama on the occasion of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which shares October with another issue of great concern to women: breast cancer.

Classic Clips!

Weldbham
11/24/2013
New book about a "hectic and stressful" time

Birmingham's civil rights history neither began nor ended in 1963. It was a story with many chapters, some taking place before the pivotal events of 50 years ago, and some afterward. But those events played an important part in bringing about change in Birmingham, including the integration of the city's all-white police department.

Weldbham
05/21/2014
The Great Society at Fifty

When you think about Head Start programs for kids, or about protecting the environment, or whether Medicaid should be expanded in Alabama, or whether the Affordable Care Act is a good thing or a bad one, you're thinking about some aspect of LBJ's Great Society.

Weldbham
02/26/2014
Flight of the bright lights?

When Jennifer and David Pollock left the Augusta Regents University in January and relocated to Birmingham, they did so for one big reason. "I only came because of UAB," Jennifer Pollock said. "The bonus was that it was in the Southeast. The bonus was Birmingham's a very livable city - it's not too big, it's not too small.

Weld for Birmingham
05/06/2015
How we rank

It's the kind of list, er, story that you've likely become familiar with in the age of sharing - via the Internet, through journalism portals ranging from Forbes to Weld, and through social media like blogs, and Facebook, and Twitter.