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Nov. 10, 2008

The Birmingham Economic Summit, Veterans Day and Our Community News Portal

It’s the mother of all local economic summits. At least, that’s the impression you get talking to City Councilor Steven Hoyt about the Birmingham Economic Summit: Pathways to Economic Synergy 2008 (Nov. 11-13).

What was supposed to be a small community meeting about Birmingham’s economic development mushroomed into a huge regional event with more than 67 presenters -- including Alabama’s top economic development guru Neal Wade and John Sibley Butler, Ph.D., a national guru of small business and entrepreneurial development. More than two dozen local organizations, businesses, institutions and other partners are involved.

If ever there was a time to work for economic development and revitalization in the Birmingham area, it’s now, says Hoyt, Chairman of the Council’s Economic Development Committee. Our problem? There’s a disconnect among different sectors in the region – the city and suburbs, the civic community, small business owners, economic development offices and corporations, government, and educational institutions. Everybody has a piece of the economic puzzle, but not everyone is laying their piece on the table for others to see how they fit in.

The conference is about changing that.

“It’s a way for us to look at ourselves and improve the economic conditions of Birmingham by working together,” Hoyt said. “Economic development is not a Black thing or a White thing. It’s a human thing. It’s about economics that builds a better Birmingham and helps abate the economic divide in this City.”

Topics include: Neighborhood Shopping and Entertainment; Workforce Development; Travel and Tourism as Economic Development; the Importance of Developing Birmingham’s Black Businesses; Exploring Transportation Options; Environmental Considerations in Development; Suburban Markets, and much more.

The best part about the summit is that it’s FREE and open to the public. If you haven’t registered yet, today may be your last chance, so click here to sign up. It’s first come, first served.

Veterans Day Tomorrow
Please let’s remember the heroes who fought and died to keep America one of the greatest country’s in world history. As you may know, Birmingham started the national tradition of Veterans Day, and each year puts on what has become the largest such parade in the U.S.

It’s really awe-inspiring and should not be missed on tomorrow. I took a TON of pictures from last year’s parade, and I hope to get a few of them up on the site soon.

Community News Portal
The site is Birmingham View’s new Community News portal. You may have seen it if you clicked on the first link about the Economic Summit. I’ve been working on this website for nearly a year, and it’s as close to prime time as I can make it. It needs your input now.

We get lots of emails from folks who want information distributed to the public. Instead of working ourselves crazy, I thought perhaps it would be good to create a place where people can submit their own positive news and information about goings-on in the Magic City. So I’m giving it a try.

You can submit events to the community events calendar (see bottom of the “Mini Calendar on the right) and submit press releases and articles (see the link in the “Community Menu” on the lower right).

Your submissions won’t display until we approve them. However, as long as they are informative, entertaining and/or enlightening to Birmingham View’s general audiences, there should be no problem getting them approved and up on the site for the community to see.

This site is still a work in progress, so if you run into any glitches, please let me know by sending your concerns to me in an e-mail.

It’s my hope that it can be a true community site for Birmingham.

Have a great week!

vickii