🌱 Hero Saves Man From Burning Building + Birmingham Road Resurfacing

Hey, friends! It's Friday in Birmingham and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening in town.

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:

Showers, heavy t-storms. High: 62 Low: 36.

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Here are the top three stories in Birmingham today:

1. Keena Dowdell, a 29-year-old utility locator from Forestdale, is being hailed as a hero after saving an elderly man from a house fire in Birmingham on Thursday morning. Dowdell had just finished a job at Graymont Avenue and Third Street North and was about to leave when he heard screams for help. He quickly located the elderly man behind a locked door, smashed a window, and pulled him to safety, earning praise from the local fire department for his life-saving actions. (AL.com)
2. The family of Walter James Griffin III is suing Norfolk Southern Railway and U.S. Pipe fabrication after the 43-year-old trainee conductor was killed by a metal beam on a Bessemer railroad last year. Attorneys for Griffin's family claim that the railway's negligence led to his death, arguing that the railcar should have been inspected properly. The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the incident, which was initially described by police as a "freak accident." (WBRC)
3. The City of Birmingham has officially started its $12 million resurfacing project, which aims to pave around 43 miles of road across 246 segments in the city. The project is the largest investment in resurfacing and repaving that the Birmingham Department of Transportation has ever undertaken, and it is being carried out district by district. The senior planner for the department, Colin Alexander, emphasizes that while this is a significant investment, there are still many roads that require maintenance, and citizens should file a 311 complaint if their road is not included in the project. (WBRC)

Today in Birmingham:

• 9th Annual Irish Flag Raising, At Chick-fil-A, 2000 Highland Ave (7:30 AM)
• Always Write, Never Wrong, At Birmingham Public Library (9:00 AM)
• St. Patrick’s Day Five Points South, Numerous Participating Locations (Available At Link) (11:00 AM)
• Sewing: Lullaby Kitty, At Springville Road Regional Branch Library (9:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• Coworking space SUCCESS Space is looking to expand into the Birmingham market with multiple locations. (Subscription: The Business Journals)
• Beginning today (Mar. 17) through Mar. 19, Birmingham will host the HBCU SpringComing. (Birmingham Times)
• Now through Mar. 18, all adoptions at the Greater Birmingham Humane Society are just $17! Also on Mar. 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the society will be at Lane Parke's “Puppy Palooza,” featuring live music by Derek Day, photo booths, face painting, a splash zone, and more. (Greater Birmingham Humane Society via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. 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.