🌱 Pedestrian Killed On I-459 + Commissioner Tyson Caught In Shootout

Hi, everybody! I'm back in your inbox this morning with the most important things happening these days in Birmingham. Let's do it.

First, today's weather:

Humid; an afternoon t-storm. High: 90 Low: 74.

Here are the top three stories today in Birmingham:

1. A pedestrian was killed in a crash early Tuesday morning on I-459. According to the Jefferson County Coroner's Office, the victim is an adult white male, but he has not yet been identified as of Tuesday afternoon. All northbound lanes in the area were shut down for about six hours following the crash. The incident happened at about 4:14 a.m. (AL.com)
2. Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson was caught in the crossfire during a shootout on Sunday. According to police, the Commissioner was in Bessemer delivering fans to elderly citizens at 6:30 p.m. when the shooting began in the 1800 block of Ninth Avenue. Police say that passengers in two cars began shooting at each other in the southbound lane on Bessemer Super Highway while Tyson was driving north. Tyson, who had previously served in the military, said she had never been in as terrifying a situation as that. (Birmingham Times)
3. The Department of Justice is asking a federal judge to allow a class-action lawsuit against Brookside to go forward. The lawsuit alleges that Brookside police officers have been "policing for profit." The organization filing the lawsuit is the Institute for Justice, a nonprofit law firm dedicated to protecting personal property rights. Click the link to watch a video and learn more about the suit. (WVTM13 Birmingham)

Today in Birmingham:

• SPARK Writing Festival At University Of Alabama At Birmingham (All Day)
• Shark Week At Springville Road Public Library (All Day)
• Fiction Workshop With Will Walton At University Of Alabama At Birmingham (10:00 AM)
• Wine Down Wednesday At Chuck's Fish Birmingham (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Greater Birmingham Humane Society celebrated the universal sheltered dogs' birthday on Monday. Click the link to see photos of all the happy animals celebrating. (Greater Birmingham Humane Society via Facebook)
• Birmingham Public Library is happy to announce the receipt of a $55,700 grant to fund equipment at eight library branches. Click the link to read how the grant money was acquired, and which branches it will benefit. (Birmingham Public Library via Facebook)
• Looking for a commercial investment opportunity? The former EZ QuickMart on 24th Avenue is for sale for $210,000. Check out the listing and other Birmingham area properties at the link. (Birmingham Patch)

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you around!

— 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.