🌱 Gun Thefts Increase + Estimated Water Bills + Walk To End Epilepsy

Hey, everybody. I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through the most important things happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Sunny and pleasant. High: 74 Low: 54.

🏡 Attention, real estate pros in Birmingham! We're now offering an exclusive sponsorship opportunity for an agent interested in attracting local clients and standing apart from the competition. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories today in Birmingham:

1. The Birmingham Police Department reports that 632 guns have been stolen from cars in Birmingham this year. This is a dramatic increase compared to last year's rate of 517 stolen guns. The department is asking Birmingham residents to be mindful during upcoming major events to ensure they don't become an easy victim. (AL.com)
2. A billing audit has shown that more than 100,000 water bills were estimated in one two-month period. The audit was presented to the Birmingham Water Works Board during its Thursday meeting. The audit also indicated that almost a quarter of the utility's customers did not receive a bill at all. During the same meeting, the Board approved a 3.9 percent rate increase for 2023. (WVTM13 Birmingham)
3. The Epilepsy Foundation has set a $75,000 goal for this year's Birmingham Walk to End Epilepsy. The walk will be held at Railroad Park on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 11:00 a.m. There are currently about 7,500 students in Alabama schools impacted by epilepsy. Click to sign up for the walk. (Hoover Sun)

In partnership with T-Mobile:

Nominate a local hero. Heroes aren’t just the people behind grand gestures and life-saving measures. They’re also folks from all walks of life who make things better in Birmingham with small gestures, acts of selflessness, or just by showing up. We're working with our friends at T-Mobile to give thanks — and a bit of recognition — to some of these folks. So if you know a teacher, health care provider, veteran or someone else who's making a difference in Birmingham, give them a shoutout! Just fill out this form, and we’ll do the rest, by following up and doing stories about them on Patch, so the whole neighborhood can celebrate how awesome they are.

Today in Birmingham:

• Halloween Hygiene Drive At Ryals Public Health Building (All Day)
• Scavenger Hunt At West End Branch Library (All Day)
• Mystery At The Library At North Birmingham Regional Branch Library (All Day)
• Time For Tales With Ms. Cas At Avondale Regional Branch Library (10:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• Are you growing increasingly frustrated with online home listings and are seeking an alternative? Consider this list of five upcoming in-person open houses occurring in the Birmingham area this weekend. Click for the full list that includes times, dates, property dimensions, prices, and photos. (Birmingham Patch)
• All schools within Birmingham City Schools will be closed tomorrow for Fall Break. Please plan accordingly. (Birmingham City Schools via Facebook)
• The Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Department responded to a house fire on 10th Avenue North. Crews were able to extinguish the fire without any injuries. Click for the photos. (Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Department via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you tomorrow for another 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.