Filed under: Birmingham Alabama, Birmingham, AL, Charlotte's Web, films, Movies, Photographs, Random shots
In honor of the release of the new live-action/computer generated interpretation of E.B. White’s classic tale, I figured it would make sense to post an image of the float designed to advertise the film in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
Click here to view the official website for the theatrical release. We also have some decent (alrght, actually just ok) images from this year’s parade in New York here.
Enjoy the weekend.
Cheers.
P.S. Those that looked at Friday morning’s post who wanted to view the post from one year ago that I was talking about, click here.
Filed under: AL, Birmingham Alabama, Birmingham, AL, News Media (as source & subject), people, The Birmingham News, The Emergency Post
Several months ago I used to sign off with the phrase, “Keep Lori and the Martin family relevant.” It was a reference to two specific cases of missing persons in the state of Alabama during 2006 hopefully inspiring people to enjoy life and pay attention to those things that are important.
Unfortunately bodies have been discovered in Bessemer that has tragically closed the book on one of the cases. This entry is taken from this Birmingham News Breaking News Blog post.
Bodies of missing Martin family believed found
Bodies found in Bessemer are believed to be those of three family members missing six months from College Hills, police sources said.
Bessemer police today recovered two more bodies near where one was discovered Wednesday and they are believed to be those of three people missing since June 13.
John and Evelyn Martin, 84 and 82, and their grandson, Ryan Evans, 19, disappeared from their 10th Court home, leading to massive searches throughout the community and area.
The bodies were recovered in a ravine just off Alabama Highway 150. A dozen or so officers from Bessemer and Birmingham, and officials from the Jefferson County Medical Examiner Coroner’s office scoured a ravine for evidence.
The grandmother’s body was found Wednesday. Investigators made a tentative identification, and returned Friday to search for the other bodies, police officials said.
The ravine is overgrown. The other bodies were found about 100 yards from the first body, which was in the creek lodged under a bridge.
Robert K. Gordon and Carol Robinson
Our prayers are with their friends and family at this time.
Filed under: AL, Birmingham AL restaurants, Birmingham Alabama, Birmingham, AL, News Media (as source & subject), The Birmingham News
For all of the times that we claim that “it could be better” or “well, (insert issue here) will never be solved,” there are many things that transplants and natives have to be thankful for in Birmingham, Alabama. Things have definitely picked up around here.
I’ve been in several conversations this week about the future of the city. I believe at this time last year we were also taking into account what was about to happen as Birmingham re-entered the scene if you will. Taking a cue out of our friend Charles’ post about what he loves about Birmingham, we’re going to attempt to create a list of 101 things that we like about the city. It’s going up either Sunday or Monday (since we here at the Ramblings office have not as of yet made the home office very festive).
In anticipation of the list, I encourage you to visit, and pass along, this incredible article written about the Magic City that has been published in today’s New York Times.
Birmingham Has a Lot on Its Plates These Days, The New York Times, December 15, 2006
This article written throughout the past two months, delves into one of the things that makes living in Birmingham great (as well as makes it hard to get back into shape); food. It also talks about several other positives in the arts and culture scene in town. Some of you may have already seen the article due to links from Charles and others that are proud of the area. I’d encourage you to send it to someone who doesn’t know anything about the city to see if we can get a few more folks to come and seize the dream.
Tell your friends that they’ll have plenty of options insofar as places to stay by the end of 2008. There are several long time hotels that are undergoing extensive remodeling efforts, including the Tutwiler downtown and the Pickwick in Five Points South. Add to the mix a new Residence Inn to be located in the heart of the UAB Southside area and a Hyatt brand property to be completed in late 2008 on the site of the former Tom Williams Cadillac showroom. These hotels will increase the number of committable rooms that the CVB can say are available for conferences looking to the city as an option, as reported during yesterday’s ONB monthly breakfast briefing. There was a claim by one of the attendees that REVPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) was up 16% for the area this year. The industry experts are claiming that it will continue to rise an additional 9% in the coming year nationwide, the highest since before 9/11. The talk leaned towards the untapped potential of the region, especially good at a time when people are talking more about the negatives associated with the city than its attributes.
UPDATE: Here’s a link to an article in today’s Birmingham News:
City hotel projects edge to $100 million, The Birmingham News, December 15, 2006
The future for hotels rooms could be very bright indeed as the SWAC Championship, the PapaJohns.com Bowl continue to grow and UAB football continues to expand its fan base. A sustained base from which to grow a potentially exciting tourism industry does exist in town as well, with our local civil rights district recently given national designation and current awards received for the restoration of Vulcan Park. Every once in a while it’s nice to accentuate the positive. It also doesn’t hurt to have lived in the land of Mercer where that adage can be followed (or to have lived down the block from his former home).
If any of you have votes on the good things in town (and no, you cannot vote for the radio stations), post a comment and we’ll get this thing up.
Enjoy the weekend everybody.
Cheers.
