Good morning, Birmingham.

Homewood’s emergency assistance fund for roughly 400 Park at Buckingham residents grew to $135,000 after two churches and other donations added to the initial $25,000 vote by City Council.

City officials said the fund is designed to help with moving costs, deposits, and first-month rent + support local students.

Southwest Airlines will resume nonstop flights from Birmingham to Phoenix in November, offering a roughly four-hour trip for holiday travelers.

Birmingham Airport Authority also announced a new Parking Guidance System that will ease parking at the terminal, with installation expected to be completed by December 2027.

Anniston native Michael Biehn’s celebrated role in the 1996 blockbuster The Rock (marking its 30th anniversary) fuels local discussions about his lasting impact on action films.

Film enthusiasts in Birmingham continue to honor his roots and memorable performance as debates over his legacy endure.

Southbound Food Festival returns to Birmingham with 10 days of chef demos, pop-ups and live music at Pepper Place and Sloss Furnaces.

Running from Friday, Sept. 18 to Sunday, Sept. 27, the event features a Heritage Dinner, a women in food meet and a live-fire takeover.

Bayonet Raw Bar, a seafood restaurant on Second Avenue North, was named one of the best new restaurants of 2026 by Bon Appetit on Monday, Aug.

24. The venue (opened early 2025 by chef Rob McDaniel) is noted for its seasonal menu with fresh oysters and unique dishes.

Artwalk 2026 is a free outdoor art festival on 20th St N from Sept.

11 to Sept. 12 featuring over 110 local artists, live music, street performances, and a PeeWee Picassos KidZone (11AM to 4PM Saturday) that will guide visitors through a smoother festival experience with improved traffic around the venue.

City of Birmingham is extending its partnership with the IMC Financial Freedom Project with a $1 million investment to boost financial literacy among K-12 students, families, and educators at Birmingham City Schools this school year.

The program now includes an investment club with Edward Jones + monthly workshops to help build long-term economic stability.

Samford University has scaled back its South Campus redevelopment to plan two 6-story student dorms with light retail and will hold a public hearing on Oct.

12 at Homewood City Hall. The revised plan removes the earlier proposal for 435 apartments and a large hotel.

The UA System trustees have put every tenured professor at UA, UAB & UAH under a five-year performance review and barred faculty senates from speaking for their institutions in compliance with HB580.

On Monday, Aug. 24, ADEM awarded $412K in recycling grants to Birmingham, Jefferson, and Shelby counties.

Birmingham will expand glass recycling while Jefferson County will install five drop-off containers (for cardboard and paper waste).

UAB researchers have developed an RNA-based test that distinguishes active C. diff infection from colonization, improving diagnosis of hospital-acquired illness.

The test showed 100% accuracy (versus 88.2% for DNA tests) and may reduce unnecessary antibiotic use to improve patient care.

Zillow data from July shows the Birmingham suburb Mountain Brook leads Alabama’s priciest ZIP codes as 35223 and 35213 report home values of around $935,000 and $889,000 — other expensive areas include Orange Beach on the Gulf Coast and a Lake Martin ZIP code.

Ranked Birmingham-area high school volleyball teams will play outdoor matches on Saturday at Wald Park in Vestavia Hills, with games starting at 1 p.m. and a backup gym available if rain interrupts play (teams include Vestavia Hills, Thompson, Spain Park and Mountain Brook).