Tagged: Birmingham

  A lawyer for the city of Birmingham says a large cabinet housing flight information monitors that toppled and killed a 10-year-old boy inside a newly renovated airport terminal wasn't inspected by the city after installation.

The monitors were installed in a $201 million upgrade at Birmingham's airport. Assistant city attorney Steve Stine said Tuesday the monitor display didn't require city inspection under municipal code because it wasn't a structural component of the building.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that storm damage in Birmingham was caused by a tornado with maximum winds estimated at 90 mph.

The National Weather Service says the tornado hit at about 4:45 a.m. Monday in the area around Finley Avenue near the Birmingham farmer's market. Birmingham Mayor William Bell says there are no reports of injuries from severe weather that damaged roofs and broke windows. He says the city provided tarps to residents whose roofs were damaged.

Birmingham and Jefferson County are getting some extra help fighting crime.

About 100 taxi drivers in Jefferson County have been trained to be on the lookout for suspicious activity.

If they see something, they can call police and report it immediately.

Yellow Cab announced the new "TOP" or Taxis on Patrol program Monday in front of Birmingham City Hall.

The City of Birmingham has lost the court fight to keep the Cooper Green Mercy hospital open for the poor.

The city was unable to force Jefferson County in the latest round in court Wednesday to keep hospital open and operating as usual.

Lawsuits against the county are effectively frozen in place until the county emerges from bankruptcy under Chapter 9. The city asked U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Thomas Bennett to lift a stay so the city could sue the county in state court.

New payday loan businesses won't be allowed to open in Birmingham until at least next June.

The city council on Tuesday extended a ban on the businesses until June 19, 2013.

Officials picked that date because it comes after the end of the Legislature's regular session. They want lawmakers to address the number of payday loan businesses in their city and across Alabama during the session.

Commissioners in bankrupt Jefferson County have delayed a decision on whether to close its charity hospital serving the poor.

Commission President David Carrington recessed a meeting indefinitely Tuesday after chaos erupted in the packed commission chamber.

Demonstrators yelling and singing civil rights protest songs prevented members from discussing the future of Cooper Green Mercy Hospital.

The hospital is costing the county millions of dollars annually, and supporters of the shutdown say the county can't afford it.