🌱 Black Male Summit Today In Birmingham + Protecting Good Program

Hello, everybody! It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Patch newsletter. Follow along to find out the most important things happening in town.

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But first, today's weather:

Warmer. High: 55 Low: 38.

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Here are the top three stories today in Birmingham:

1. Today, local professionals will host a summit encouraging cooperation and knowledge sharing among Black Birmingham men. The Black Male Summit, which begins at 9 a.m. at the Hilton Birmingham Downtown at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is put on by the host of the “He Talks” podcast Darrell Forte and The Leadership One Stop founder Dr. Brandon Brown. Speakers at the event will include Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr. An afternoon session will begin at 2 p.m. for middle and high school students. (WBRC)
2. Birmingham residents are receiving the funds they need through a local program to build fortified roofs. The Protecting Good program offers up to $10,000 for those with qualified homes to replace their roofs to the fortified standard to protect against wind damage. Partnerships with numerous organizations — Habitat for Humanity for Greater Birmingham, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Protective Life Corporation, the city of Birmingham, Alabama Department of Insurance, and Neighborhood Housing Services — make the program possible. (WVTM13 Birmingham)
3. Have you seen this man? Birmingham police are asking for the public's help finding a man who was reported missing in January. According to police, 49-year-old Jerry Barclays Jr. was last seen traveling to Georgia on 21st Way South in November 2022; he was reported missing on Jan. 19. He is described as having blonde hair, blue eyes, being about 6 feet 2 inches tall, and weighing approximately 250 lbs, police said. Click the link to view a photo. (WVTM13 Birmingham)

Today in Birmingham:

• Black History Month Trivia At Five Points West Regional Branch Library (9:00 AM)
• Virtual Career Day For Girls Hosted By GirlSpring (1:00 PM)
• Hamilton At BJCC Concert Hall (2:00 PM)
• Saturday Matinee Featuring The Late Chadwick Boseman At Five Points West Regional Branch Library (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Birmingham is being led by a core of young CEOs and chairpersons of public agencies, including Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. Learn more about what is happening in their agencies and what it takes to lead during turbulent times today at 9 a.m. by tuning in to 94.9 FM WATV. (City of Birmingham Government via Instagram)
• The Birmingham Zoo is now offering behind-the-scenes experiences with its giraffes! Tours meet in the main entry plaza and proceed to the giraffe barn in the Trials of Africa, which will last about an hour. Encounters are each Saturday until Feb. 25, starting at 1 p.m. (The Birmingham Zoo via Facebook)
• After a whole week without sunshine, it's finally back just in time for the weekend in Birmingham! (WVTM13 Birmingham)

That's it for today! I'll see you around.

— 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.