🌱 Birmingham's Domestique Coffee Among Top 10 + Descendant Screening

Good morning, friends. It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Birmingham Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening locally.

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, today's weather:

Sunny and warmer. High: 61 Low: 38.

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Here are the top three stories in Birmingham today:

1. Domestique Coffee, a third-wave coffee purveyor based in Birmingham, has been ranked among the top ten coffee brands in the country by Food & Wine magazine. The publication praised the brand for its individually calibrated roasting process that brings out the unique flavors and aromas of each coffee bean. Domestique was also recognized for its socially responsible practices, including sustainable sourcing and fair-wage supply chain management. Founded by brothers Nathan and Michael Pocus, Domestique currently operates three locations in the Birmingham area and offers national shipping. (Bham Now)
2. The Alabama Sierra Club Foundation is set to host a free screening of the award-winning documentary, "Descendant," at Birmingham's Carver Theatre on Sunday, Mar. 19. Directed by Mobile native Margaret Brown, the documentary focuses on the history of the Clotilda, "the last slave ship to bring captive Africans to America over 160 years ago," and the self-reliant community they formed called Africatown. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session with the documentary's cast and direct descendants of the Clotilda survivors. Admission is free; registration is required. (AL.com)
3. The YMCA of Greater Birmingham has announced a new initiative to address lifeguard shortages in the region. The organization will be offering free training for up to 1,500 aspiring lifeguards 15 years old or older who meet the prerequisites, including various swimming tests. This move aims to help launch careers while ensuring that the community's pools remain open and that swimmers remain safe. (WIAT - CBS42.com)

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Today in and around Birmingham:

• She Is? Trivia Game, At Birmingham Public Library (9:00 AM)
• Little Buckhead Blue Ribbon Cutting - Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, At 341 Rele Street in Mountain Brook (10:00 AM)
• Free-To-Shop Mobile Store, At Smithfield Branch Library (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Birmingham's Moore's Marinade & Sauces is coming to Dollar General stores across the U.S. (Bham Now)
• Authorities have identified the pedestrian who was killed in front of Birmingham-Southern College as Damion Jermaine Gardner, 43, of Birmingham. They've also identified the motorist who was found dead in Shades Creek as Patrick Anthony Vacarella, 51, of Bessemer. (AL.com)
• To celebrate St. Paw-trick's day, all adoptions at the Greater Birmingham Humane Society are $17 this week (now through Mar. 18)! Cats and dogs, both young and old, are available and looking to be your lucky charm. Click here to view all the adoptable pets. (Greater Birmingham Humane Society via Facebook)
• Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service crews responded to an apartment fire at the 100 block of Tuscaloosa Ave SW on Monday. There were no civilian or firefighter injuries. The fire is under investigation. (Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Department via Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new 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.