🌱 Woman Dies In I-59 Collision + Escaped Inmate Recaptured In AZ

Hi all. I'm back with your fresh edition of the Birmingham Daily. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening locally.

First, today's weather:

Humid with a t-storm or two. High: 83 Low: 71.

👀 Attention local businesses & marketers: Attract more customers in Birmingham by sponsoring this daily newsletter, which gets read by the same people you're trying to reach. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories in Birmingham today:

1. A woman is dead after crashing her car into the back of a utility trailer on Tuesday. Police say the wreck occurred at 1:26 p.m. in the northbound lane of I-59. According to officials, the woman was pronounced dead on arrival at UAB Hospital. She was 37 years old. (AL.com)
2. An escaped Jefferson County inmate is back in custody after being located in Arizona with his girlfriend. Phillip Shane Bradford allegedly escaped by stealing an ambulance from UAB hospital last week and was recaptured on Tuesday. He ditched the ambulance in Cullman and stole an SUV in a Walmart parking lot on Thursday morning before fleeing westward. (WVTM13 Birmingham)
3. Bulk trash pickup is behind schedule due to illegal dumping. The City of Birmingham announced that due to a staffing issue as well as "a large amount of illegal dumping cleanup." The city posted a list of neighborhoods where collections will take place but indicated that several other neighborhoods may have to wait for collections to be scheduled. (Alabama's News Leader)

Today in Birmingham:

• UAB ArtPlay Step at Birmingham Public Library (11:00 AM)
• Summer Food Truck Roundup at Birmingham Public Library (11:00 AM)
• Half Off Happy Hour at Chuck's Fish (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for an enchanted evening? Chez Fonfon has food and drinks til 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. No reservations, so it's first-come, first-served. (Chez Fonfon via Instagram)
• A salute to service: The Birmingham Zoo is offering free admission to active and retired military members and their dependents for the 4th of July weekend. The zoo will also be open on the 4th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (The Birmingham Zoo via Facebook)
• Birmingham Police Department, Alabama is hiring. If you're a dedicated community member looking to make a difference in your neighborhood, apply today. (Birmingham Police Department, Alabama via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander, now living in New York. She works as a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and is a graduate of The University of Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.