Good morning, Birmingham.

United Way of Central Alabama is recruiting at least 90 volunteers for its free tax preparation program + hosting volunteer information sessions on Oct.

1, 10 a.m. to noon, and Oct. 21, 1 to 3 p.m., where interested individuals can meet the team and pre-register for training.

Birmingham's Johin'na restaurant was named one of Yelp's Best New Restaurants of 2026; opened in 2025, the modern Japanese spot (family-owned and led by chef Ashley Jackson) mixes Southern flair with traditional small plates and an LED cherry blossom tree.

Reservations are available online.

The Birmingham Museum of Art is showcasing Roll Call: Two Hundred Years of Black American Art with 99 works spanning from the early 19th century to today.

The exhibit opened on Sept. 25 with a panel of local artists including Richard Dial, Celestia Morgan and Roscoe Hall.

Birmingham plans 51 concerts in October with acts like Journey and the Jonas Brothers performing at a range of local venues; Furnace Fest (Oct.

10-11) will feature headliners A Day to Remember and Bring Me the Horizon along with a free ASO show.

Gov. Kay Ivey announced the Alabama STEM Council Seal of Approval on Monday, Sept.

28 to help families identify quality out-of-school STEM programs. The peer-reviewed designation recognizes after-school programs, nonprofits, and community initiatives with at least three years of operation, with award recipients to be named later.

Two area colleges received national recognition for value from U.S. News today.

Samford earned the best rank among four-year schools and Montevallo kept its top spot among regional universities — a sign of strong academic quality, officials said.

On Monday morning, multiple agencies battled a brush fire that jumped containment lines at Oak Mountain State Park; by 5:45 p.m., officials said the fire had grown to about 40 acres with some park roads closed and no homes threatened due to heavy smoke.

Over 100 water officials from 40 utilities gathered in Birmingham for a two-day cyberattack simulation on the banks of the Cahaba River to strengthen response protocols.

The exercise came as a federal grant program offered free threat monitoring services+aimed at protecting public utility networks.

The first section of the Birmingham Northern Beltline opened to traffic Tuesday, connecting Alabama 79 and Alabama 75 between Bradford and Palmerdale.

Officials say the 1.88-mile stretch is the first of 52 miles that will eventually improve emergency response times and spur local development in Jefferson County.

Children's of Alabama received a $410,146 donation today from the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park — the contribution will help the busy pediatric hospital provide life-saving care to hundreds of thousands of patients.

UAB Hospital and the American Red Cross are hosting a four-day blood drive at the North Pavilion Atrium to address dangerously low blood supplies with donations accepted daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Friday, Oct.

2 (donors get a $15 e-gift card).

Golden Temple Cafe has been a local vegetarian pioneer since 1973 and now offers meals under $15 in Five Points South.

Operating Monday through Friday (11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), the cafe serves daily specials and sandwiches with a cheerful vibe for local diners.

Moses Crawford brings vegan food and juices to Birmingham through his enterprise Conscious Living.

Focused on holistic health for Black community members, he offers catering, detox packages and cold-pressed juices while planning an off-grid homestay community.