🌱 Layoffs At JCCEO + Miles College Forgives Student Debt

Happy Thanksgiving, neighbors! It's me again, Michael Seale, your host of the Birmingham Daily. First let me say I am so thankful for all of the Patch readers and for the feedback all of you have given to help make Patch your source for hyperlocal news. So let's get to it. The Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity recently laid off 500 employees. This is not good news for the county at all. Also, Miles College took care of nearly $4 million in student loans for its students for the spring 2022 semester. Very cool. Read more below.

First, today's weather:

A blend of sun and clouds. High: 65 Low: 38.

Here are the top stories in Birmingham today:

1. First things first. It's Thanksgiving, and in case you wanted to know what is open today and what isn't, here is the guide I put together yesterday. (Birmingham Patch)
2. The Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity recently laid off 500 employees, including Head Start workers. (al.com)
3. Using the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, Miles College will subsidize $3.9 million of federal student loans for all full-time students enrolled in the Spring 2022 academic semester. (Birmingham Patch)
4. See which three local restaurants are now gold sustainable partners of Alabama Environmental Council's EAT initiative. (Bham Now)
5. The City of Irondale announced it will provide $50,000 in funding for Ruffner Mountain (Alabama's News Leader)

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Today in Birmingham:

• Sam Lapidus Montclair Run at Levite Jewish Community Center. (7 a.m.)
• Feast with Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille this Thanksgiving. (Details)
• Check out the 80's Music Thanksgiving Special with Jay Lambert at Jazzi's On 3rd (7 p.m.)
• The Chris Simmons Band is playing live at The Nick (9 p.m.)
• For you late-nighters out there, catch Throne of Eden live at the Tin Roof. (10 p.m.)

Birmingham Patch Notebook

• Holiday Spectacular highlights season for Red Mountain Theatre. (thehomewoodstar.com)
• Chez Fonfon will be closed Thursday for the holiday and will reopen Friday at 3 pm. Happy Thanksgiving! (Instagram)
• The Birmingham Zoo's red-flanked duikers Beatrice and Cranberry definitely know how fun it is to play with your food! Our mother-daughter both seem to really love the tastier side of enrichment! Fun and filling! (Facebook)
• The Putnam Middle School Band was front and center Tuesday at the Inauguration Ceremony for Mayor Randall Woodfin. When he was in middle school, young Randall Woodfin played in that same band. (Facebook)
• Greater Birmingham Humane Society has new holiday hours. (Facebook)

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That's it for today. I hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving edition of the Daily. Please know that, like most of you, I will be taking the day off to enjoy the festivities, so there will not be a newsletter in your inbox tomorrow. We hope you all understand the slight pause in the Birmingham Daily. But don't worry — we will be back to our normal routine Saturday morning! If you're liking these newsletters, consider bringing some more friends and neighbors into the fold. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Michael Seale

About me: I am a lifelong Alabama resident with more than two decades of media under my belt. I have worked for a daily newspaper, a weekly newspaper, a monthly magazine, a television station and a couple of radio stations. I also tried my hand at marketing for a little while. But I love writing news. This opportunity to bring Patch to Birmingham is a chance for my hometown to benefit from a new - and better - way to read and receive news.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Birmingham Daily? Reach out anytime to michael.seale@patch.com.