🌱 Birmingham PD Investigate Fatal Shooting + Activist Learns Ancestry

Hello all. Miranda Fraraccio here with your weekend edition of the Birmingham Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

Also, FYI: I wanted to let you know that Patch is looking for a local writer and entrepreneur to take the helm of the Birmingham Patch newsletter and make it their own. We want to pass the torch to someone truly local and in-the-know to write about Birmingham long term. So if you’re interested in earning extra income while making this newsletter a more valuable resource for your neighbors, learn more and apply here.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Cooler with showers around. High: 62 Low: 56.
• Saturday: Warmer with a few showers. High: 72 Low: 59.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Birmingham who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top three stories today in Birmingham:

1. Birmingham’s West Precinct officers are investigating a fatal shooting that took place in the 1400 block of 29th Street in Ensley on Feb. 22. The victim, whose name has not been released, died in the hospital due to a gunshot wound. Police took a female into custody at the scene for questioning. (AL.com)
2. On Tuesday night, Feb. 21, Birmingham native and civil rights activist Angela Davis learned on a PBS program that she is descended from a white passenger on the Mayflower who was one of the first settlers in America. The PBS program, “Finding Your Roots,” also revealed another ancestor on Davis' mother’s side was a Revolutionary War soldier who owned slaves. Davis said, "I always imagined my ancestors as the people who were enslaved. It makes me even more committed to struggling for a better world." (AL.com)
3. Birmingham City Schools announced parents or guardians of BCS students have until Monday, Apr. 3, to submit the School Choice Request Form. If the student is attending a "failing school," a parent or guardian can submit the form to switch schools. Click here to find out which school your child is zoned to attend and the applications to switch schools.
   (Birmingham City Schools)

Today and tomorrow in Birmingham:

Friday, February 24

• Birmingham RV Show At Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center (10:00 AM)
• Family Trivia Night At Magic City Acceptance Center (5:00 PM)

Saturday, February 25

• Laugh Out Loud with Lady Bunny At Saturn (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Birmingham police are asking for the public’s help to get justice for 49-year-old Ed Franklin Harris and 16-year-old Yasmine Wright. Harris and Wright were fatally shot on Jan. 8, 2022, but the killer or killers remain at large. (AL.com)
• The new bulk trash and brush pickup schedule for March is now available! (City of Birmingham via Twitter)
• The Birmingham Police Department released Birmingham's year-to-date public safety statistics. View the link to see the full statistics, including 28 firearms recovered last week and 222 firearms recovered year-to-date in 2022. (City of Birmingham via Twitter)

You're all caught up for today. See you all soon for another 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.