🌱 B'ham Third In AL Population + Euphonious Festival

Hello again, everybody! I'm back with your fresh copy of the Birmingham Daily. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening locally.

First, today's weather:

Sunshine; nice, less humid. High: 79 Low: 61.

Here are the top three stories today in Birmingham:

1. Birmingham is now the third-largest city in Alabama, falling behind Montgomery. According to 2021 Census estimates, Birmingham lost more than 1 percent of its population between Jul. 1, 2020 and Jul. 1, 2021. Montgomery's population also declined during that time frame. Read more at the link. (AL.com)
2. Organizers of the Euphonious Festival say last year was a success, so the event is coming back to the Birmingham Zoo this year! The event will be from Jun. 17 to 19. First founded by Bradley Metrock of Vestavia Hills, the event's lineup this year includes Better Than Ezra and Collective Soul. To see the full list of acts, visit the link. (Village Living)
3. A Birmingham-area man must serve 15 years behind bars and pay $12 million in restitution after committing fraud. Christopher A. Montalbano of Vestavia Hills and his father, Gus Montalbano, pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges. According to court documents, the two obtained millions of dollars in loans from at least 16 different financial institutions by submitting fraudulent information in loan applications. (AL.com)

Today in Birmingham:

• Book Bundles at West End Branch Library (9:00 AM)
• Guess the Comic Book at North Birmingham Regional Branch Library (9:00 AM)
• Star Wars Scavenger Hunt at Birmingham Public Library (9:00 AM)
• Guess the Comic Book at Birmingham Public Library (9:00 AM)
• Tiny Art Show at Birmingham Public Library (9:00 AM)
• Book Bundles at Birmingham Public Library (9:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Crack! James Spann shared a photo of a lightning bolt over Dauphin Island. Check out the electrifying arc at the link. (Instagram)
• Birmingham Police Department's Chief Thurmond visited Huffman High School's model tiny house. The chief met with school representatives to talk about how Huffman gets kids ready for the future. (Facebook)
• The Birmingham News is gearing up for the World Games 2022. The Birmingham event is set to kick off as the flags begin their 3,100 mile journey from Washington, D.C. to Birmingham, AL. (Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday! I'll see you soon.

— 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.