🌱 Birmingham Named 1 Of The "Loneliest Cities" + 2nd Homicide Of Year

Morning, Birmingham! I'm here with your fresh copy of the Birmingham Daily, filled with all the community news you need to know right now.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 61 Low: 37.

Business owners and marketers in Birmingham: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories in Birmingham today:

1. Multiple new businesses have opened (or will be opening) in Birmingham! This Saturday (Jan. 7), Cala Coffee will be hosting a grand opening in Vestavia Hills‚ featuring scrumptious Ladybird breakfast tacos and coffee. Other recently opened businesses include Retrograde Dept., a store selling luxury brands and vintage thrift items, and family-owned restaurant Barbeque & Biryani. (Bham Now)
2. Birmingham, along with another Alabama city, has made the list of the "loneliest cities" in America. Data from the Chamber of Commerce put Birmingham at number eight on the list, and Mobile, AL came in at number 26. In addition, the study showed that Birmingham has the third-highest percentage of men living alone, with 21.9 percent of its male residents being the sole occupant in their homes. (WIAT - CBS42.com)
3. On Wednesday, a man was shot to death outside of a store in Birmingham’s second homicide of 2023. Police marked at least 10 shell casings in the shooting which took place at the Elyton Meat Market on Center Street North and Third Avenue North at around 2:00 p.m. The man collapsed on the sidewalk just outside the front door. As of the time of this writing, the story is still developing. (AL.com)

Today in Birmingham:

• Basketball Open Play, At Levite Jewish Community Center (6:00 AM)
• Craft Chocolate 101, At Honeycreeper Chocolate (6:00 PM)
• Southern Jewish Voices, At Levite Jewish Community Center (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Psychiatric Intake Response Center, a Birmingham-based free mental health phone response center, has expanded to all Alabama counties. Adults are encouraged to call (205) 638-7472 to speak with a licensed mental health professional and find necessary resources in their local area. (wvua23.com)
• Stay safe with these four easy steps to be a safer pedestrian, released by the University of Alabama at Birmingham. (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
• Are you in the market for a new home? Here is a list of five upcoming open houses in and around Birmingham — including some taking place this weekend! (Birmingham Patch)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with your next update!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.