🌱 Permitless Concealed Carry Jan. 1 + 12-Year-Old Killed In Drive-By

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

But first, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy. High: 58 Low: 9.

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Here are the top three stories today in Birmingham:

1. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is preparing for permitless concealed carry starting Jan. 1. Lt. Joni Money said, “It puts concerns out there, where we have more guns that are on the street that we are not aware of, and we've got to learn to be able to deal with them. You've got to be prepared to come up to a car where somebody has a firearm on them, it's concealed, and they're perfectly legal to be carrying that firearm.” Many law enforcement officers feel the inability to check if a gun is legal raises concerns of putting deputies' lives further at risk. (WVTM13 Birmingham)
2. On Wednesday, a sleeping 12-year-old girl was killed in an early morning drive-by shooting in Birmingham. Victim Audriana Pearson, who was a seventh grader at Erwin Middle School, was sharing a bed with two friends when 17 bullets were fired into her room. The shooting occurred around 2:00 a.m. on 16th Avenue N.W. Please contact Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777 if you have any information. (AL.com)
3. During winter break, Shelby County schools are holding active shooter training. The school district incorporated information and training from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Hoover Police, ATF, and the North Shelby Fire Department. This is the school system's largest active shooter trainer in years. (WIAT - CBS42.com)

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Today in Birmingham:

• Christmas Vacation At Alabama Theatre (8:00 AM)
• White Christmas At Alabama Theatre (1:00 PM)
• Anime-nia At Birmingham Public Library (3:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• A total of 485 homebound seniors are receiving holiday cheer this year, thanks to the Be a Santa to a Senior program. You can keep the giving spirit all year long by getting involved with the Jefferson County Meals on Wheels. (Bham Now)
• The Asbury United Methodist Church, Brookwood Baptist Church, and First Presbyterian Church are all offering candlelight services on Christmas Eve in Birmingham. Click to see the full list and find a service near you. (Bham Now)
• Looking for a new home? There are a handful of new houses available in and around Birmingham. We particularly liked the beautiful land on the South Oak Drive property. (Birmingham Patch)

Alrighty, you're all good for today. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with your next update!

— 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.